Four civilian protection guard members, two hunters, and a policeman were killed by bandits in Zamfara in a fierce battle between the bandits and the security personnel.

Several bandits were also said to have been killed during the clash, which occurred in the early hours of today, Friday.

Two hunters who were seriously wounded are currently receiving medical treatment at the Federal Medical Center in Gusau.

In a statement, the spokesperson for the state police command, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said the clash occurred at about 1540 hours of today, Friday, when the bandits, who were in large numbers, stormed Keta village in the Tsafe Local Government Area of the state intending to attack the villagers.

He said, to repel the attack, a joint operation comprising the Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorists Unit, hunters, and Civilian Protection Guard members (CPG) were mobilised and engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle.

During the encounter, one PMF personnel, four Community Protection Guard (CPG) members, and two hunters made the ultimate sacrifice during the attack.

He further explained that two hunters were currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre in Gusau.

The statement said, “As part of the Zamfara State Police Command’s efforts to rid the state of crime and restore confidence among its citizens, a joint operation was conducted to repel a bandits’ attack on Keta town in Tsafe LGA.

“At approximately 1540hrs, a good Samaritan reported that a large number of armed bandits had stormed Keta town with the intention of perpetrating their inhumane acts.

“In response, a joint operation comprising PMF, CTU, hunters, and CPG mobilised and engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle.

“Regrettably, one PMF personnel, four Community Protection Guard (CPG) members, and two hunters made the ultimate sacrifice during the attack.

“Two hunters are currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre in Gusau.”

Abubakar, however, explained that the operation was successful as a large number of bandits, including the notorious kingpin Dan Isuhu Mudale, who had been terrorising Tsafe and its environs, were killed during the encounter.

He reassured the people of the state that the police were committed to restoring peace in the state.

He urged the people of the state to report any suspicious behaviour to the security agencies for prompt action.

A leadership crisis in Ugbonla, a community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, has resulted in the tragic killing of the assistant secretary of the community, Idowu Joel Lowo.

TheNigerian Metro learnt on Wednesday that hoodlums allegedly attacked Lowo with weapons, leading to his death, while the community’s Baale, Chief Adebowale Ebiwano, narrowly escaped.

Our correspondent gathered that the violence erupted on February 13, 2025, around 8:00 a.m. when four armed men, wielding cutlasses, were spotted near Chief Ebiwano’s residence.

Recalling the incident, Ebiwano told TheNigerian Metro on Wednesday, “At first, I assumed they were carrying cutlasses in preparation for our upcoming anniversary, but the situation quickly escalated.

He explained that the mob gathered, chanting that they no longer wanted a Baale in the community because the king who appointed him had passed away.

“They said anyone who still called himself Baale would be beaten. Fortunately, they didn’t know I had already left my house,” he said.

As the mob stormed his residence and found it empty, our correspondent learnt that they allegedly vandalised the house, destroyed vehicles, and looted money.

“We hid under a bed while I kept calling the police for help,” he continued. “To my shock, they told me they had no fuel in their vehicles. I even promised to double whatever amount they needed, but still, no help came.”

Ebiwano recounted that he asked his sister, who lived near the police station, to provide money for fuel, yet officers claimed they were waiting for orders from their superior.

Meanwhile, the assailants allegedly continued their destruction, he claimed.

During the rampage, the attackers allegedly caught Lowo and brutally assaulted him. “They clubbed him with planks filled with nails, and some used cutlasses,” Ebiwano said.

Our correspondent learnt that Iranlowo later died in the hospital.

When the police eventually arrived and arrested three suspects, Ebiwano lamented that they were later released.

Lowo’s wife, Olajumoke Iranlowo, who had recently given birth, now faces an uncertain future with her five children.

“My husband was killed in Ugbonla. I saw the video of what they did to him,” she said, sobbing on the phone on Wednesday.

The grieving widow alleged that her husband had been repeatedly threatened because of his support for the Baale.

“They once poured salt in his car as a warning. I know the people who killed him,” she added.

She expressed frustration over the handling of the case.

She stated, “I heard the suspects were arrested but later released. I want justice, but I don’t like how the government is handling this matter. My husband is gone, and I have no money to take care of our children. Please, don’t let me suffer.”

Reacting to the situation, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Ibukun Odunlami, advised the aggrieved parties to formally petition the Commissioner of Police if they felt the case was not properly handled.

She said, “I don’t think there is anything the police will not attend to, and if the Baale feels aggrieved that the issue has not been properly attended to, he should write a petition to the Commissioner of Police.

“I don’t understand why it should be the journalist asking me if we were aware of it, since he feels like the case has not been properly attended to; the institution has an organogram.

“There is an area command in that area that he can write a petition to, and if he’s still not satisfied, he should write to the office of the Commissioner of Police.”

Some communities in Ondo State have faced a wave of violence in recent times, grappling with incidents of banditry and attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Earlier this month, gunmen invaded several villages, including Aba Alajido, Aba Sunday, Aba Pastor, and Ademekun.

Reports indicate that the attacks left many dead, forcing residents to flee their homes in fear.

Tragedy struck in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State as six operatives of the Zamfara State Community Protection Guards popularly known as Askarawa, and four local vigilantes were killed in an ambush by bandits.

The attack occurred on Saturday following a successful joint security operation led by the Nigerian Army against criminal elements in Sunke Forest.

Governor Dauda Lawal disclosed in a Facebook post on Sunday that security forces, including the CPG operatives and Nigerian Army personnel, raided the hideouts of the bandits in Sunke Forest.

The operation resulted in the neutralization of several bandits and the recovery of their weapons.

However, as the team was making its way back, it was ambushed by gunmen around the Bagega axis.

The assailants opened fire on the returning security operatives, leading to the tragic loss of ten lives.

Among the deceased were six members of the Community Protection Guards and four local vigilantes, also known as ‘Yan Sakai.’

Additionally, three individuals remain missing—two CPG operatives and one vigilante.

Dauda Lawal Reacts

Confirming the incident, Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, expressed his deep sorrow over the killings.

In a statement written in Hausa and shared on his verified Facebook page, the governor lamented the loss of lives and extended prayers for the deceased.

It read, “I received the heartbreaking news that bandits ambushed some members of the Zamfara State Community Protection Guards in Anka Local Government.

“The incident followed a security operation where our forces, alongside the Nigerian Army, attacked the bandits’ hideouts, successfully neutralizing several of them and recovering weapons.”

Lawal further noted, “On their way back, they were attacked in Bagega, resulting in the killing of six CPG operatives and four vigilantes.

“Their burial was conducted on Sunday morning. Three individuals are still missing.

“Upon receiving this distressing news, I directed that immediate medical assistance be provided to the injured and relief materials be given to the families of those who lost their lives.”

He prayed for the repose of the deceased’s souls and sought divine intervention to bring an end to the ongoing security crisis plaguing Zamfara State and the entire nation.

Zamfara State has been one of the hardest-hit regions in Nigeria’s northwest and north-central areas, grappling with the persistent menace of banditry, TheNigerian Online reports.

Armed bandits attacked Baidi community in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Saturday, killing one person and injuring two others.

Eyewitnesses said the assailants stormed the village in broad daylight, shooting at residents before fleeing.

The victims were rushed to Tangaza General Hospital, where one later died.

Local sources said this was the third attack in a week, with the attackers arriving on motorcycles in groups of three.

They are reportedly not affiliated with the Lakurawa bandits, who were previously driven out of the area by security forces.

“This is the third attack since the Lakurawa bandits were driven out,” a resident lamented. “Just recently, bandits struck Layinna village, killing one person, injuring several others, and rustling livestock.

“They also invaded Aliya village, preventing residents from accessing the only well in the area for water,” the source said.

Efforts to reach Tangaza Local Government Chairman, Isah Salihu Kalenjini, were unsuccessful, but reports indicate he visited the injured victims at the hospital.

The spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, Ahmed Rufai, told TheNigerian Online on Sunday that the attack was reported by the community leader, prompting a swift response from the police and local security forces.

“The leader of the community alerted the Nigerian Police about the attack, and we mobilised immediately to the scene with the support of the state community guard corps.

“Unfortunately, before our arrival, the attackers had already shot three people. We rushed them to the hospital, but one did not survive,” he said.

The Ogun State Government has sealed indefinitely Quantum Steel Industry in Ogijo in Sagamu Local Government and Xinfeng Plastics Limited along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway following two industrial accidents that occurred at the factories.

The government in a statement made available to our correspondent on Thursday, said it had closed down the factories to enable it to investigate the cause of the incident.

Reacting to the shutdown, the Special Adviser to Ogun Governor on Environmental Protection Agency, who doubled as the Chairman of the State Taskforce on Environmental Compliance and Enforcement, Farook Akintunde, noted that the government decided to shut down the companies to avert future occurrences.

He stated, “As a government, we are determined to conduct credible and diligent investigations, including inviting external safety experts, to get to the root cause of these incidents in the overriding public interest and safety.

“What is even painful is that despite the state government’s regular visits to these companies just like others statewide to educate them on the need to adhere strictly to safety procedures, such incidents still occurred within their production lines that resulted in fatalities. So, the need to close them down.”

Akintunde added the two companies would be shut until investigations are concluded and safety measures are put in place while threatening to blacklist other erring companies.

The statement added that two other companies were closed down for violating safety standards and obstructing government officials carrying out lawful duties.

“The two companies will remain shut until investigations are concluded and new safety protocols entrenched in the two companies and warned other companies in the state to take safety of the workers especially those in the production lines paramount as the state government will not only close down any erring company with such occurrence but will also blacklist them.

“In the meantime, the Ogun State government has also closed down two other companies, Wemco Nigeria Limited at Magboro, for obstructing state officials from performing their official assignment of investigating an erosion dispute between them and their immediate community development.

“Beautiful Fibre was found guilty of exposing its workers to hazardous chemicals by not providing them with Personal Protective Equipment PPE despite several warnings by state government officials during routine visits to the company. The two companies are also to remain shut until they comply with government directives,” the statement concluded.

Earlier, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, stated that a machine blast that occurred at Quantum Steel on Wednesday left seven persons, including two expatriates injured.

According to Odutola, the impact of the injuries left the seven victims, identified as  Daniel Bala (Male, 28 years), Mutiu Olajide (Male, 39 years), Godwin Solomon (Male, 27 years), Maduabuchi Onwe (Male, 27 years), Ajun Kumar (Male, 37 years), an expatriate, Chandan Kumar (Male, 50 years), an expatriate, and Rakash Kumar (Male, 30 years), an expatriate, hospitalised.

She stated, “The Ogun State Police Command is currently investigating an industrial accident that occurred at Quantum Steels Nigeria Limited, located at KM 16, Ikorodu-Sagamu Road, Ogijo, which resulted in multiple injuries.

“On March 5, 2025, at about 1030 hours, the incident was formally reported at the Ogijo Division by Joseph Adewale, a staff member of the company. According to the report, on March 2, 2025, at approximately 1860 hours, a blast from one of the factory’s machinery led to serious injuries sustained by seven individuals, including both Nigerian and expatriate workers.

“All seven injured persons are currently receiving medical treatment at Rolayo Hospital, Ikorodu, Lagos State, and are responding to treatment.”

Odutola noted that an investigation has commenced to determine the cause of the incident.

“Upon receiving the report, police detectives promptly visited the scene of the incident, conducted an initial assessment, interviewed relevant persons, and documented evidence, including photographs.”

Similarly, the state government confirmed the death of a machine operator, Ishaku Monday, in an electrocution incident that occurred at the Xinfeng Plastics Limited.

A suspected member of a robbery gang, whose identity has yet to be confirmed, was killed during a shootout with operatives of the Enugu State Police Command.

TheNigerian Metro learnt on Thursday that the incident occurred on Monday, February 24, when operatives from the 9th Mile Police Division foiled a robbery attack along Owa Road.

The spokesperson for the command, Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with our correspondent, stating, “Yes, the suspect was neutralised in a gun duel.”

In a statement shared with TheNigerian Metro, Ndukwe provided further details, revealing that the police operatives thwarted the robbery during one of their multiple raid operations on Monday.

“On February 24, 2025, operatives attached to the 9th Mile Police Division repelled an armed robbery attack along Owa Road, neutralising one of the armed men while others escaped,” he stated.

According to Ndukwe, other suspects fled the scene with varying degrees of injuries sustained during the gun duel.

He also disclosed that a cut-to-size double-barrelled gun with three live cartridges, weeds suspected to be Indian hemp and other exhibits were recovered from the deceased suspect.

“A manhunt for the other suspects, who fled with varying degrees of gunshot injuries, is ongoing,” he added.

Additionally, Ndukwe revealed that the operation led to the arrest of a male suspect involved in car theft and the recovery of a firearm, ammunition, and stolen vehicles.

“The recovered exhibits include one cut-to-size double-barreled gun with three live cartridges, two stolen Toyota Corolla cars, and other incriminating items,” he stated.

Providing updates on other raids across the state, Ndukwe disclosed that police operatives from the Igbo-Etiti Division arrested a 23-year-old suspect, Sunday Ejiofor, on February 14, 2025, for allegedly stealing a vehicle.

According to him, a stolen blue Toyota Corolla car was recovered from Ejiofor following credible intelligence. The suspect reportedly confessed to stealing the vehicle from a compound in Orba, Udenu Local Government Area, on the same day.

“He has since been arraigned in court and remanded at the Correctional Custodial Centre following the conclusion of the investigation by the Udenu Police Division, which has jurisdiction over the case,” the statement noted.

Ndukwe also recounted another operation on February 1, 2025, when operatives from the New Haven Division recovered a Toyota Corolla car that had been stolen from Igbo Eze Street, Independence Layout, Enugu.

“The hoodlums abandoned the vehicle and fled upon sighting the operatives who were on their trail. The car has since been released to its owner,” he stated.

Suspected herdsmen on Thursday killed two farmers identified as Lucky Salami and Julius Arewa in Eware Village, Etsako West Local Government Area with machetes.

A third person identified as Omokhagbon Abu popularly known as Udugboya is said to be battling for his life at an undisclosed hospital.

This fresh killing is coming less than three days after Governor Monday Okpebholo called for the enhancement of security due to killings in Okpekpe in Etsako East and Ivbiaro in Owan East where suspected Fulani herdsmen hacked three people to death in a similar manner.

The embattled chairman of Etsako West Local Government Area, Marvelous Zibiri, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Thursday, said the killings took place in Eware Village, Ward 8 Anwain and that the killers were suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.

A statement by his Press Secretary, Iyamah Nurudeen, quoted Zibiri as saying, “This dastardly and heinous act has not only claimed the innocent lives of two persons but has also left another injured victim hospitalised, thereby instilling fear and unrest in the peaceful community of Eware and its environs.”

“The incident is a barbaric and unacceptable act that has undermined the peace and security of Etsako West Local Government Area. The local government will not tolerate any form of violence or lawlessness that threatens the lives and livelihoods of its people.”

While commiserating with the families of the deceased, he called on the Edo State Government and relevant security agencies to swiftly investigate the incident and ensure that the perpetrators of this evil act are brought to justice.

He stressed the need for increased security presence in rural communities to prevent further occurrences of such violence and to protect farmers who are the backbone of the local economy.

Zibiri appealed to the people to remain calm and law-abiding and urged the community leaders and stakeholders to collaborate with security agencies by providing useful information that could lead to the arrest of the culprits.

When contacted, the head of the Edo State Security Corps, Friday Ibadin, said, “Call the lead agency, the police.”

The Edo State Command Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, when contacted by TheNigerian Metro, said he had yet to get the details of the incident from the divisional police in the area but promised to give details once the information was received. He was not able to do this as of the time of filing this report.