At least one bandit was killed with several others injured as security operatives repelled an attack on Shinkafi town in Zamfara State.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mohammed Shehu, who confirmed this in a statement on Friday, said the criminals stormed the community to harm the people but were resisted by a combined team of security personnel.
“The bandits who were from the camp of a notorious bandits kingpin, ‘TURJI’ were heavily engaged in a gun duel by the joint security forces stationed in Shinkafi to safeguard the lives and properties of the communities,” the statement partly read.
“At the end of the gun battle that lasted for hours, one of the bandits was fatally injured, while others escaped with possible bullet wounds.”
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Following the development, the Commissioner of Police, Ayuba Elkanah deployed more security operatives to complement the existing security arrangements, to prevent any further attack by the bandits.
The police commissioner further commended the resilience of the operatives, charging them to sustain the tempo so that the state can be adequately protected.
Zamfara is one of the states in the North-West affected by bandits who usually kidnap for ransom, rape, steal and kill people.
Despite efforts of security agencies and assurance by the government, the gunmen still target schools and abduct children for ransom.
Two months ago, the bandits attacked an airplane belonging to the Nigerian Air Force in a rare case of a military jet being brought down by a criminal gang in the country.
The incident which happened on the border of the northern Zamfara, and Kaduna states saw the pilot, Flight Lt Abayomi Dairo ejecting and using his survival instincts to avoid capture and find shelter, before rejoining his comrades.
In recent days, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the military to do all it takes to flush out criminals in Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna states.
