By Emmanuel Kwada
Twelve operatives of the Zamfara State Community Protection Guards and local vigilantes were killed on Wednesday in a violent confrontation with bandits at Adabka village, Bukkiyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State, residents have confirmed.
Several others sustained gunshot wounds during the clash and were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
According to locals, the bandits suffered casualties as well, though the exact number remains unclear as the attackers retreated into the bush, taking their dead and injured with them.
The incident began around 9 a.m. when bandits stormed Sabuwar Tunga, a nearby community, abducting several residents, including women.
They eventually overpowered the vigilantes and guards, killing 12 and injuring many others
“As they were retreating, vigilantes and Community Protection Guards from neighboring areas intercepted them,” said Malam Fahad, a resident of Sabuwar Tunga.“A fierce gun battle broke out and lasted nearly an hour.”
Fahad recounted how the bandits, initially overwhelmed and running low on ammunition, called for reinforcements.
“They eventually overpowered the vigilantes and guards, killing 12 and injuring many others. We recovered the bodies and buried them later that day. Thankfully, some of the abducted victims were rescued during the chaos.”
When contacted for comment, Yazid Abubakar, spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, said he had no knowledge of the incident at the time of reporting.
The deadly clash comes amid a wave of banditry plaguing Zamfara and neighboring states. A resident of Dansadau in Maru Local Government Area, an ex-serviceman who spoke on condition of anonymity, linked the surge in attacks to a recent peace deal with bandits in Kaduna State. “That agreement seems to have emboldened them here,” he said.
Meanwhile, Governor Dauda Lawal has doubled down on his administration’s hardline stance against negotiating with bandits. Speaking on Thursday during a visit from the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar—who was in Zamfara to console victims of a recent accidental airstrike by Operation Fansan Yamma—Lawal insisted that the policy is yielding results.
“We are firm in our decision not to negotiate with bandits, and the results are becoming evident. Peace is gradually returning to Zamfara,” the governor said.
The incident began around 9 a.m. when bandits stormed Sabuwar Tunga, a nearby community, abducting several residents, including women
The latest clash underscores the ongoing security challenges in Zamfara State, where armed groups continue to terrorize rural communities despite intensified military operations and local resistance efforts.
