The Police Command in Katsina State has confirmed that three officers have been killed in an ambush by suspected armed hoodlums in Bakori Local Government Area of the state.

The command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Aliyu Abubakar, confirmed the incident to newsmen on Wednesday in Katsina.

He said: “On Tuesday, at about 12:44 p.m., a team of Policemen on routine anti-crime patrol along Guga-Bakori were ambushed by some suspected armed hoodlums shooting sporadically.
“The officers responded bravely, repelling the attack.”

Unfortunately, he said, three officers paid the supreme price during the encounter, while two officers sustained injuries.

Abubakar revealed that the injured officers were rushed to the nearest hospital and were now responding to treatment.

He said that investigations had since commenced with a view to arresting the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

In related news, gunmen suspected to be bandits have attacked Tashar Katuru in Jangebe community of Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State, abducting scores of villagers, mostly women and children, and setting several shops ablaze.

The Chairman of Muryar Talata Mafara, Comrade Kabiru Jangebe, said the bandits invaded the community with sophisticated weapons at about 1:13 a.m. on Monday.
“The bandits came with sophisticated weapons. They opened fire on the community. And the villagers were running helter-skelter,” he said.
Jangebe further disclosed that one of the villagers sustained a leg injury after being shot by the gunmen.
“The bandits set many shops ablaze and carted away property, including medicine,” he said. “They set three big provisions stores and other small shops ablaze after they carted away properties.
“Almost none shops were set ablaze. The incident has thrown the community into serious confusion as many ran into the bush. As I am talking to you now, 48 people are missing including women, children and nursing mothers.”

He explained that the bandits’ operation lasted for over two hours, overpowering security operatives.
“The security personnel came, but they couldn’t confront the bandits as the gunmen were with sophisticated weapons. The security can’t engage the bandits because they are using machines.”

There was, however, a discrepancy in the number of abducted persons, as relevant authorities declined to give an official figure.

An elder of the village, who pleaded anonymity, said the actual number of abducted victims was yet to be fully compiled.
“I don’t know the figure, but I have spoken to the senior District Head and he told me that he doesn’t know the actual number of the people kidnapped; but I directed them to go from house to house and collect the data of the missing people and compile the actual data,” he said.

According to him, “based on the information I got, the incident occurred around 2:00am to 3:00am Monday morning.”
He said the villagers later confirmed that a house-to-house search put the number of abducted victims at 22.
“The villagers also later confirmed that house to house search put the number of the kidnapped victims at 22, out of which 5 are nursing mothers, one adult while the rest are children, but one boy escaped.”