The Police Command in Sokoto State has foiled a coordinated bandit attack on three villages in Wamakko Local Government Area, arrested one suspect, and recovered 11 cows and five sheep.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufai, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists on Tuesday in Sokoto.
Rufai said the police received a distress call on Saturday reporting that armed bandits in large numbers had invaded Zabori, Tambaranga, and Gidan Yero villages in Wamakko LGA.
According to him, the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit was immediately deployed and strategically blocked the bandits’ escape route at Abdalo Forest in Gwadabawa LGA.
“The operatives engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle. Due to the superior firepower of the police team, the bandits were overpowered and forced to flee into a nearby forest, many with gunshot wounds,” he said.
He added that one suspect, identified as Musa Usman of Damba village in Illela LGA, was arrested during the operation.
Rufai said the animals were in police custody pending identification and return to their rightful owners, stressing that efforts were ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects.
In a separate operation, Rufai said police operatives on routine stop-and-search duty along the Kebbi–Sokoto Road on May 27 intercepted two suspected drug traffickers riding an unregistered motorcycle.
He said the suspects aroused suspicion, prompting a search that uncovered a sack containing a large quantity of substances suspected to be Indian hemp, as well as 10 rubber containers of Axzol tablets, Benthexol Tablets B.P. 5mg, and a large quantity of D5 tablets — all classified as controlled drugs.
According to him, one suspect was arrested while the second, identified only as Ummaru, escaped and remains at large.
“All exhibits have been taken into custody, and a manhunt is underway to apprehend the fleeing suspect,” Rufai said.
The police spokesman said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Hayatu Shaffa, commended the operatives for the successful operations.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating banditry, cattle rustling, illicit drug trafficking, and other criminal activities across the state. (NAN)
