In a fresh surge of violence in Zamfara state, suspected bandits have killed five police officers and three community protection guards (CPGs) during an ambush on patrol operatives along the Gusau-Funtuwa road in Tsafe LGA. The deadly attack occurred Thursday evening near Gidan-Giye village, just a few kilometres from Tsafe town, a known flashpoint for armed attacks on motorists and security personnel.
The Zamfara police command has yet to issue an official statement, but Governor Dauda Lawal confirmed the incident in a post on Facebook.
“To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. I have received a bad report of the gunfire that was killed by police officers and Askarawa on Funtuwa road to Gusau where they killed eight officers,” he wrote. “To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. May Allah rest their souls and grant their families the strength to bear this loss. We pray for an end to this security crisis in Zamfara, the North, and Nigeria.”
According to eyewitness accounts, including that of Ya’u Musa, the security team had just left Tsafe town when gunshots erupted.
“The bandits suddenly emerged from their hiding spots and opened fire on their vehicle,” Musa said. “All the security men inside were killed instantly.”
He added that the attackers appeared to have advance knowledge of the movement of the patrol team, which reportedly included officers deployed from the government house in Gusau on a special mission to secure the highway.
“Minutes after leaving Tsafe town, gunshots were heard near Gidan-Giye village. The bandits, who had been lying in wait, struck swiftly, killing all eight security operatives,” he said.
The assailants fled on motorcycles into the nearby forest before reinforcements could arrive. The remains of the fallen officers have been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre in Gusau.
The attack underscores the escalating banditry crisis in Zamfara, where security operatives and commuters frequently come under fire despite increased military presence. Keywords: Zamfara bandit attacks, Gusau-Funtuwa road insecurity, Dauda Lawal, police officers killed in Zamfara, community protection guards ambush.
