Several police officers are feared dead after suspected bandits reportedly ambushed a vehicle conveying personnel from Sokoto State to Zamfara State for a special duty assignment.
The attack reportedly occurred on Monday while the officers were travelling to Zamfara State.
The exact number of casualties was unclear as of the time of filing this report, while it was also not immediately known whether any of the officers survived the attack.
Photographs purportedly showed the bodies of some of the officers inside a bus, with their hands and legs apparently tied with ropes.
Other images showed the officers’ belongings scattered around the scene, while bloodstains were visible inside the vehicle reportedly used to convey the personnel.
The reported attack comes amid renewed concerns over insecurity across the North-West, where armed groups commonly referred to as bandits have continued to target communities, highways and travellers.
Zamfara and neighbouring Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna and Kebbi states have suffered recurring attacks involving killings, kidnappings and other forms of criminality.
However, there was no immediate official confirmation of Monday’s reported attack.
The spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, Rufai Ahmed, said he was unaware of the incident and directed inquiries to the spokesperson for the police zone, Ambrusa.
Similarly, the Zamfara State Police Command spokesperson, Yezid Abubakar, said he was unaware of the reported attack.