Bandits overrun Kebbi mobile police post, cart away firearms

A large group of armed bandits have launched an assault on a mobile police outpost in Makuku village, located in Zuru Local Government Area of Kebbi State, making away with several firearms and setting a patrol truck on fire.

The Kebbi State Government has confirmed the attack, which took place on Thursday, describing it as a well-organised strike on a temporary security base staffed by mobile police officers.

Speaking to reporters in Bagudo on Saturday, the Director of Security at the Kebbi State Cabinet Office, Abdulrahman Zagga, revealed that the gunmen—believed to have crossed into the state from Zamfara and Niger—engaged police personnel in intense gunfire.

“Our men fought back but had to retreat due to the overwhelming number of the bandits. They burnt a Toyota Hilux patrol vehicle and made away with several rifles,” Zagga said.

He clarified that contrary to initial reports, the site attacked was not a permanent police station but a mobile unit, making it more susceptible to such an ambush.

Following the incident, Zagga said the state government sought immediate support from the Nigerian Air Force. Their swift deployment forced the assailants to scatter into nearby forests.

Despite the scale of the attack, Zagga confirmed that no casualties were reported.

He linked the recurring violence in the area to its geographical proximity to volatile regions in Zamfara and Niger.

“We have refused to enter into any peace accord with bandits. We believe in confronting them through legitimate security operations,” he stated.

Zagga also raised concerns about local informants aiding the attackers, especially during the farming season when rural communities become vulnerable to extortion.
“They extort money from one community, disappear briefly, and then reappear to attack another when funds dry up. This vicious cycle keeps residents in fear,” he added.