Police kill two ‘bandits’, recover weapons in Zamfara

The Zamfara police command says its operatives have killed two suspected bandits along Gusau-Tsafe road in the state.

Mohammed Bunu, commissioner of police in Zamfara, confirmed the development on Tuesday at a news conference in Gusau, the state capital.

Bunu said the operatives while on surveillance patrol, encountered bandits on three motorcycles carrying passengers on May 3.

He said the bandits engaged the officers in a gun battle which lasted for about an hour, adding that two of the bandits were killed in the process.

He said the remaining bandits escaped with gunshot injuries, while one AK-47 rifle and one pump action gun were recovered from them.

In another development, the operatives rescued a kidnap victim identified as Abdullahi Naibi, a resident of Yardadi village in Bakura LGA, from his abductors.

He said the kidnap victim has been taken to the General Hospital in Talata- Mafara for treatment.

The operatives also recovered an AK-47 rifle with an empty magazine.

“I have come to understand the prevalent security challenges in Zamfara which include banditry, reprisal attacks, kidnapping and political intolerance,” NAN quoted Bunu as saying.

“I will review existing crime-fighting strategies and garnish them with community policing.”

The police commissioner urged residents and stakeholders to support and collaborate with the command to eliminate criminal elements from the state.