•Police and bandits
The Kebbi State Government has confirmed that a group of armed bandits attacked a Mobile Police Post in Makuku in the Zuru Local Government Area of the state, and made away with some rifles.
The Director of Security at the Cabinet Office, Abdulrahman Zagga, disclosed this to journalists yesterday.
According to Zagga, the mobile police post, which was manned by visiting officers, came under heavy attack from a large group of bandits, reports Channels TV.
Despite engaging the attackers in a gun battle, the officers were overpowered.
“The bandits burned a Toyota Hilux patrol vehicle belonging to the unit and escaped with an undisclosed number of rifles,” he stated.
Zagga clarified that it was not a police station that was attacked, as some reports claimed, but a temporary mobile police post. He added that the mobile police officers were forced to withdraw due to the overwhelming number of assailants.
He revealed that upon learning of the attack, the state government requested air support from the Nigerian Air Force, which forced the bandits to retreat.
“No casualties were recorded during the incident,” Zagga said.
“Most of the bandits infiltrated from neighboring Zamfara and Niger states.”
He explained that Makuku village shares a border with Niger State, making it especially vulnerable to such attacks.
Zagga also emphasised that unlike some neighboring states, Kebbi State has no peace agreements with any bandit groups or their leaders.
“Once they demand money from a community and it is paid, the bandits may temporarily leave that community alone. But once the money runs out, they move on to another community to extort. That’s why many communities remain in constant fear,” he added.
