Suspected bandits have abducted the Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area, Zamfara State, Hon. Nura Umar Bungudu, along with his wife and children, after killing two police officers and two vigilantes during an attack on his residence.
Suspected bandits have abducted the Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Hon. Nura Umar Bungudu.
The attackers reportedly stormed Bungudu town on Thursday night and headed straight for the council chairman’s residence in the Zango area, less than 20 kilometres from the state capital, Gusau.
According to Daily Trust, a resident, who spoke to Daily Trust on condition of anonymity, said the gunmen overpowered security personnel guarding the residence, killing two police officers and two vigilantes before whisking away the chairman and members of his family.
“They killed two policemen and two vigilantes, including one volunteer vigilante who had been actively helping to protect the town from bandit attacks,” the source said, adding that security personnel attempted to resist but were overwhelmed by the attackers’ superior firepower.
The source said the gunmen initially abducted the council chairman, his wife and their children, but security operatives who responded were able to rescue four or five of the children during a pursuit. “They kidnapped the chairman along with his wife and children, but security personnel later rescued some of the children. Unfortunately, the chairman was taken away,” he said.
He explained that reinforcement teams were deployed but arrived only after the attackers had already fled the scene.
The resident blamed the increasing frequency of such attacks on the heavy weaponry used by the gunmen and the activities of informants allegedly aiding their operations.
“They don’t give any warning before attacking. They come heavily armed and in large numbers. Despite the efforts of security forces, they still managed to escape with the chairman,” he said.
He urged the government and security agencies to strengthen security in Bungudu and other vulnerable communities across the state, saying residents had resisted alongside security forces but were outgunned by the bandits’ sophisticated weapons.
Efforts to obtain official confirmation from the Zamfara State Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls and a text message sent to the command’s spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, were not returned as of the time of filing this report.
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