The Sokoto State Police Command has killed a suspected armed bandit and recovered an AK-47 rifle with live ammunition after foiling an attack on Daraye Village in Wamakko Local Government Area of the state.

The Command said the operation was carried out in the early hours of Saturday after security operatives responded to a distress call that a large number of heavily armed bandits had invaded the community.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, said the distress call was received at about 1:35 a.m. on July 4, prompting the immediate deployment of operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, the Village Crime Reduction Unit (VCRU), and other tactical teams to reinforce officers at the Wamakko Divisional Headquarters.

According to the statement, the operatives engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle, forcing them to abandon the operation and flee into the forest with varying degrees of gunshot injuries.

“Upon arrival, the team aggressively engaged the assailants in a fierce and prolonged gun duel. Demonstrating superior tactical proficiency, the operatives successfully overpowered the bandits, forcing them to abandon their mission and retreat in disarray into the forest with several gunshot wounds,” the statement said.

The police said a subsequent combing of the surrounding bushes led to the neutralisation of one suspected bandit.

Items recovered from the suspect included one AK-47 rifle and one magazine loaded with 28 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.

The Command said confidence-building patrols had since been intensified in the area to reassure residents and prevent further attacks, while neighbouring divisional police headquarters had been placed on high alert to intercept fleeing suspects seeking medical treatment.

The Commissioner of Police in Sokoto State, CP Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, commended the officers for their courage and professionalism.

“The gallantry displayed by our officers is highly commendable. The Command remains unwavering in its commitment to eradicating banditry and ensuring the safety of lives and property across Sokoto State,” he said.

He assured residents that the police, in collaboration with other security agencies, would sustain operations against criminal elements until lasting peace is restored across the state.