Suspected bandits have reportedly attacked a vehicle conveying Nigerian police officers travelling from Sokoto State to Zamfara State for a special duty assignment, killing some of the personnel.
SaharaReporters gathered that the officers were attacked and killed on Monday while travelling to Zamfara State for the assignment.
The circumstances surrounding the attack, including the exact number of officers killed and whether any personnel survived, were not immediately clear as of the time of filing this report.
Photographs obtained by SaharaReporters showed the lifeless bodies of some of the officers inside a bus. Their hands and legs appeared to have been tied with ropes.
Other photographs showed the belongings of the officers scattered on the ground as people gathered at the scene to observe the aftermath of the incident.
A vehicle reportedly used to convey the officers was also seen with visible bloodstains, suggesting the severity of the attack.
The incident has further raised concerns about the persistent insecurity affecting Nigeria’s northwestern region, where armed groups commonly referred to as bandits have continued to attack communities, ambush travellers, kill residents and abduct people for ransom.
Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina and Kaduna states have remained among the states in the region grappling with recurring attacks by armed groups.
The assailants frequently target rural communities, highways and other vulnerable locations, leaving residents and travellers exposed to deadly attacks and kidnappings.
When contacted by SaharaReporters for confirmation and comment, the spokespersons for the Sokoto and Zamfara State police commands, Rufai Ahmed and Yezid Abubakar, respectively, said they were unaware of the incident.
Ahmed subsequently referred SaharaReporters to the spokesperson for the police zone, Ambrusa, for further clarification. However, as of the time of filing this report, messages sent to Ambrusa seeking confirmation and comment had not received a response.