In a brazen daylight ambush that has heightened fears along one of Nigeria's most perilous highways, suspected bandits gunned down five policemen and three Community Protection Guards on Thursday evening, dealing a devastating blow to ongoing security efforts in Zamfara State.
The attack, which unfolded along the Gusau-Funtua Road in Tsafe Local Government Area, underscores the relentless grip of banditry in Nigeria's northwest, where armed groups continue to terrorize communities and disrupt vital transport routes.
Eyewitnesses and local sources described a swift and ruthless assault as the joint patrol dispatched from the Government House in Gusau to safeguard travelers approached Gidan-Giye village, just a few kilometers from Tsafe town.
The eight security personnel, traveling in a single vehicle, were caught off guard when bandits emerged from roadside hideouts and unleashed a hail of gunfire.
"They were hit instantly; there was no chance to fight back," said Yau Musa, an indigene of the area who spoke to reporters near the scene.
The assailants, believed to have acted on tip-offs from informants tracking the patrol's movements, fled on motorcycles into the surrounding forest before reinforcements could arrive.
The bodies of the fallen officers were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Gusau, where families gathered in grief amid tight security.
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal swiftly condemned the killings in a heartfelt statement on his Facebook page, mourning the loss of what he called "brave souls dedicated to protecting our people."
"I just received the sad news of the death of eight securitymen, comprising policemen and the Community Protection Guards, who were ambushed and killed by bandits along Gusau-Funtua road," Lawal wrote.
"May Allah forgive them and give their families the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. We pray to Allah to bring an end to the insecurity problem affecting Zamfara State, the northwest, and the entire nation."
He invoked Islamic solace, adding, "To Allah we belong and to him we shall return," while praying for divine forgiveness for the deceased and strength for their loved ones.
The Zamfara State Police Command confirmed the incident in a terse statement, vowing a "decisive manhunt" for the perpetrators but withholding further details pending investigation.
Sources within the force revealed that the patrol was part of a broader initiative to combat the "persistent daily bandit attacks" plaguing the Gusau-Funtua corridor, a critical artery linking Zamfara to neighboring Katsina and Kaduna states.
This road has become a notorious hotspot for ambushes, kidnappings, and cattle rustling, with bandits exploiting its dense forests and sparse policing to launch hit-and-run raids.
The tragedy adds to a grim tally in Zamfara, where banditry has claimed thousands of lives since escalating in 2011.
Just last month, a similar ambush on the same stretch left two vigilantes dead and several travelers abducted, prompting temporary road closures.
Rights groups, including Amnesty International, have decried the federal government's response as inadequate, pointing to underfunded security operations and the proliferation of small arms in the region.
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