Photographs of the 10 police officers killed during a deadly encounter with suspected bandits in Makuku, Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State, have emerged as calls intensify for greater support for their families and personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.
The officers, attached to the 44 Police Mobile Force (PMF), Abuja, were killed on August 10, 2026, while on special duty in the area.
Their names, ranks and force numbers, as contained in the latest information on the deceased personnel, are: AP/No. 306724 – Superintendent of Police Bala Buba; AP/No. 260162 – Inspector Stephen Simon; AP/No. 376893 – Inspector Solomon Jatau; AP/No. 376908 – Inspector Ayuba Hassan; AP/No. 370343 – Inspector Umar Yahuza; AP/No. 358380 – Inspector Auwal Sani; AP/No. 376892 – Inspector Abdullahi Magaji; F/No. 514474 – Sergeant Momoh Jimoh Hamza; F/No. 524419 – Corporal Ukpong Otuekong and F/No. 538935 – Corporal Adam Abdulhakeem.
The photographs of the fallen officers are being circulated as a fresh reminder of the human cost of the August 10 attack, which also claimed the lives of two civilians.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the officers confronted a large group of suspected bandits who reportedly advanced towards the Makuku area on hundreds of motorcycles.
A recently circulated report titled “A Testament of Courage, Sacrifice and Service” described the encounter as a defining test of the officers’ commitment to duty.
According to the account, intelligence received by the Special Intervention Squad (SIS) indicated that approximately 250 motorcycles, each allegedly carrying about three suspected bandits, were moving towards their location.
The warning reportedly came only minutes before the attackers arrived.
“At that moment, the SIS personnel were faced with an extremely difficult choice. They could have withdrawn from the location to preserve their own lives, leaving the vulnerable residents of Makuku exposed to the advancing attackers,” the document said.
“But instead, they chose to stand.”
The account said the officers were aware that they were heavily outnumbered but remained at their post and engaged the attackers when the assault began.
“Rather than abandon the people they were deployed to protect, they confronted the attackers and fought back with courage, discipline and determination,” it said.
The Nigeria Police Force had said 17 suspected bandits were neutralised and four motorcycles belonging to the attackers destroyed during the encounter.
However, the police personnel suffered devastating losses.
Ten officers were killed, while two civilians also died. Another civilian, identified as Shehu Abubakar, sustained serious gunshot injuries.
Officers reportedly ran out of ammunition
The incident also raised questions about the operational support available to the officers.
SaharaReporters had previously reported, citing police sources, that the personnel eventually ran out of ammunition during the prolonged gun battle and made urgent requests for air support and ground reinforcement.
One source said the officers were confronted by more than 300 armed attackers.
“They fought back but eventually ran out of ammunition. They desperately called for air support and ground reinforcements. The help they needed never came,” the source said.
The “Testament of Courage, Sacrifice and Service” similarly stated that the officers called for reinforcement but continued fighting with the personnel and resources available to them.
“However, the reinforcement did not arrive at the time it was urgently required,” the document said.
It added that reinforcement eventually arrived after the engagement had already taken a significant toll on the team.
A police situation report earlier obtained by SaharaReporters also stated that the attackers allegedly carted away weapons belonging to the security personnel, including 10 AK-47 rifles, one RPG rifle and two riot guns, alongside other arms and ammunition
IGP honours fallen officers
Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu subsequently honoured the deceased officers at a memorial parade held at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
Disu described them as gallant officers who died while performing their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property.
The IGP said the officers “died doing what they swore an oath to do; to serve, to protect, and to defend lives and property.”
He also acknowledged the impact of their deaths on their families.
“Behind every fallen officer is a family that lost a husband, father, son, brother or loved one,” Disu said.
Addressing the families of the deceased, he added: “We grieve with you, we stand with you, and we will not abandon you.”
The latest appeal for greater support for the families and the wider police workforce comes amid concerns over the morale of personnel deployed to confront heavily armed criminal groups.
Those making the appeal also commended Disu for honouring the fallen officers, providing ₦5 million to each family and enrolling their replacements into the Nigeria Police Force.
The “Testament of Courage, Sacrifice and Service” urged authorities to ensure that the circumstances surrounding the Makuku encounter are properly documented and investigated and that the families of the deceased receive appropriate welfare support and recognition.
“The story of Makuku should not disappear into silence,” the report said.
“It should be documented. It should be investigated and officially recorded.”
It added: “They stood when they could have fled. They fought when they were outnumbered. They sacrificed when their own lives were at risk. They upheld the oath they took to protect lives and property.”
For the families of the 10 officers, the photographs now emerging represent more than a record of a deadly operation.
“Their rifles were not simply weapons they carried. They represented a responsibility they had accepted,” the report said.
“Their uniforms represented a commitment to service. And their decision to stand represented the oath they had taken.”