Gunmen, suspected to be bandits, have attacked Farin Ruwa village in Zamfara State’s Maru Local Government Area, killing an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Samaila Sule, and five others. The attack, which occurred on January 5, also saw several villagers abducted as the gunmen overpowered security personnel.
The community is reeling from the terrible attack, with reports emerging of the corpses of Sule and five other villagers being recovered from the scene. The incident has left residents in fear and mourning.
“During the attack, the gunmen reportedly seized Sule’s AK-47 rifle along with 30 rounds of live ammunition,” they added.
Recall that in October 2025, no fewer than 73 residents of two villages in Zamfara State have been abducted following coordinated midnight attacks by armed bandits in Bukkuyum Local Government Area, according to a security report.
The abductions reportedly took place in Buzugu and Rayau villages in the early hours of 18 October, when gunmen stormed the communities and took away scores of villagers.
A counterinsurgency publication, Zagazola Makama, disclosed the incident in a security alert posted on X on Monday evening. It said the attackers arrived in large numbers and were heavily armed.
“Zagazola learnt that the incident occurred at about 2:45 a.m. on Oct. 18, when armed bandits in large numbers, wielding sophisticated weapons, invaded the two villages and whisked away the victims to an unknown destination,” the publication stated.
According to the report, the victims were seized during the raid and taken away before security operatives could respond. It added that efforts were underway to secure their release and stabilise the affected areas.
