Armed men killed four security personnel and kidnapped the Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area in Zamfara State, Hon. Nura Umar Bungudu, during a late-night attack on Thursday.
The raid happened in the Zango area of Bungudu town, about 20 kilometers from Gusau, the state capital.
According to residents, the gunmen stormed the chairman’s home and opened fire. A gun battle followed between the attackers and the security team on duty.
Two police officers and two vigilantes assigned to guard the residence were killed. One of the vigilantes was described by locals as a volunteer who had been helping defend the community from bandit attacks.
“The chairman’s team tried to resist, but the attackers had more firepower,” a resident who asked not to be named told Daily Trust. “They came in large numbers and were determined to carry out the operation.”
The gunmen initially took the chairman, his wife, and their children. But security operatives who responded quickly pursued them and managed to rescue four or five of the children. The chairman and his wife were taken away.
By the time reinforcement teams arrived, the attackers had already fled the area.
Residents blame the repeated attacks on the heavy weapons the gunmen carry and on suspected informants who give them information about targets.
“They don’t give any warning. They come armed and in big groups,” the resident said. “We fought alongside the security forces, but we could not match them. We are calling on the federal and state governments to do more to protect Bungudu and other communities.”
Zamfara remains one of the states most affected by armed banditry in Nigeria. Despite ongoing military operations in the North-West, criminal gangs continue to carry out mass kidnappings, community attacks, and targeted abductions of government officials.
