The Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed the killing of nine of its personnel including a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) by bandits in Sakaba LGA of the state.
The command spokesman, Nafi’u Abubakar, confirmed the ugly development yesterday during an interview with journalists.
He explained that the officers died in the line of duty while engaging bandits in a gun duel two days ago.
According to him two “Yan Sa Kai” (local vigilantes) and an unknown number of residents also lost their lives in the bandits’ attack.
“DPO Sakaba, eight other policemen and two ‘yan-sa-kais’ lost their lives during a gun duel with the bandits on Sunday at about 14:30 hours,” Abubakar said.
The bandits were said to have attacked five villages namely Dankolo, Sakaba, Makuku, Dokar Kambari and Kurmin Hodo.
NAN quoted Salisu Adamu, a resident, as saying they also carted away some livestock.
“Bandits attacked our villages since around 8:00 a.m. Please we need your prayers,” Adamu said.
“They carted away thousands of cattle from Dankolo, Sakaba, Makuku, Dokar Kambari and Kurmin Hodo villages and many food items as they came with more than 100 motorcycles, well-armed.
“They started shooting sporadically which prompted the village people to flee for safety in different directions.”he added.
The attack happened days after President Buhari had a closed doors meeting with Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and other Northern governors in the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
It was gathered that the meeting dwelled on the insecurity in the region and how to put an end to it.
