Ten police officers and two civilians were killed after a heavily armed group of bandits ambushed a police checkpoint in Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State, in one of the deadliest single attacks on security personnel in the region this year.
The Nigeria Police Force said the incident occurred at about 9:25 a.m. on Monday, August 10, along the Rafin Makuku axis, when officers intercepted a large group of bandits moving between Zamfara and Kebbi states. Kebbi State Police Command spokesperson DSP Bashir Usman said the attackers had camped overnight in a forest between two communities before advancing toward Maburya, where they overpowered the checkpoint. Police say at least 17 suspected bandits were neutralised in the resulting gun battle, and four motorcycles belonging to the attackers were destroyed. Two other officers were injured and are receiving treatment.
The ten slain officers were named as ASP Bala Buba, and Inspectors Saminu Sulaiman, Solomon Jatau, Ayuba Hassain, Umar Yahuza, Auwal Sani, Adamu Abdullahi, and Abdullahi Magaji, along with Sergeant Jimoh Momo and Corporal Ukpong Otrukmj. Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu described their deaths as "a painful loss to the Force and the nation," saying they "paid the ultimate price while defending the people they swore to protect."
Reports indicate the bandits seized a number of rifles and other weapons from the fallen officers before fleeing. Security operations along the Zamfara-Kebbi border area are ongoing as authorities work to track down the remaining attackers.