Police neutralise bandit, recover AK 47 rifle in Zamfara

Police tactical operatives in Zamfara said they neutralised a bandit and recovered an AK 47 rifle and 18 rounds of live ammunition during a gun battle in Saran Gamawa and Anguwar Mata villages in Gummi Local Government Area of the state.

This is contained in a statement in Gusau on Monday by the Public Relations Officer of Zamfara Police Command, SP Muhammad Shehu.

“On 19th June 2022, police tactical operatives deployed along Gummi/Bukkuyum axis, received a distress call that armed bandit terrorists on motorcycles invaded Saran Gamawa and neighbouring Unguwar Mata villages with intent to kill and abduct innocent members of the communities.

“The police in collaboration with the vigilante of the affected villages mobilised forces and engaged the terrorists in an extensive gun battle that lasted for hours.

“As a result, one of the terrorists was fatally injured, an AK 47 rifle belonging to the bandits was recovered at the scene, while many others retreated to the forest with possible various degrees of gunshot wounds”, Shehu said.

The state Commissioner of Police, Ayuba Elkanah, commended the resilience of the joint operatives and charged them not to relent in the command’s effort to safeguard the lives and property of innocent people in the state.

Elkanah also directed Area Commander Anka and the neighbouring DPOs to deploy reinforcement teams to complement the ongoing confidence building patrol to avert further attack on nearby communities.

He said the deployment was also to rescue the two victims already abducted by the assailants before Police arrival.

“While reassuring the command’s commitment to the protection of lives and property in the state, he called on members of the public to cooperate with the police and other security agencies in the effort to rid the state of bandits,” the PPRO added.