BANDITS have killed eight personnel of the Zamfara State Community Protection Guards.
The deceased were killed in an ambush.
The Community Protection Guards also known as Askarawa is the Zamfara State Security Outfit established by Governor Dauda Lawal to complement the efforts of other security agencies in the state
The Commander of the Community Protection Guards in the state, Brigadier General Mohammed Lawal told Channels Television on Monday that the personnel were ambushed at their checkpoint, a few kilometers outskirt of Tsafe town, the headquarters of Tsafe Local Government Area.
This was on Monday morning. He added that the personnel were deployed to the area due to the incessant abduction of travelers along the Gusau-Funtua Highway which has reduced drastically since their deployment.
“When I got to know about the bandits’ route around that area which they used to kidnap travelers, I told the Governor and we deployed the CPGs to that side, armed with two Hilux vehicles; the area is covered by mountains,” he said.
The commander added that “for about two months now, they have been there, they will resume early in the morning and vacate the place around 6:30 pm for other patrols. Since then, kidnappings along that axis have been reduced.”
“The bandits slept in a community around the area. In the morning when the Hilux vehicle dropped the first set to our personnel and returned to pick others, the bandits who had already laid ambush opened fire on them and unfortunately, we lost eight of our men, and one traveler was also shot,” Lawal said.
Despite the incident, the commander reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to getting rid of security threats in the state.
“As they (bandits) are also planning, we are also planning because I just discovered another route where the bandits block the road to kidnap people around Wanzamai. We will not relent and Insha Allah we will flush them out of this state,” he said.
Meanwhile, Governor Lawal has mourned the death of Guards of the Community Protection Guards.
Governor Lawal, in a statement by his spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, described the attack as a barbaric act committed by dispersed bandits on the run.
He commended the bravery of the Zamfara Community Protection Guards and other troops for their sacrifice to protect people’s lives.
“I received the unfortunate report of an ambush by bandits yesterday in Tsafe local government area, during which nine of our brave Community Protection Guards were killed,” he was quoted as saying.
“The Guards ambushed and killed are Nasiru Aliyu, Jabiru Hassan, Abdullahi Dangude, Bashar Bawa, Mu’azu Musa, Anas Dahiru, Anas Yakubu, Lawali Yunusa, and one other. The bandits’ ambush on our guards was a cowardly act, as they were dispersed and on the run due to sustained troop onslaught across the state.
“The troops will continue the renewed onslaught to defeat bandits in the state and the entire region. I want to take this opportunity to extend my condolences on behalf of the government and people of Zamfara State to the families and loved ones of our brave guards. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten. I hope those injured recover at the earliest.
“My government is committed to providing all necessary support to the families of the frontline guards who lost their lives.”