At least six security personnel, including a police inspector, were shot dead on Monday after gunmen ambushed them in Zamfara State.
The victims include Inspector Aliyu Ibrahim of the 1 Police Mobile Force (PMF), Kaduna, and five soldiers attached to Operation Fansan Yamma (OPFYM).
According to a press statement from 1 PMF Kaduna, the officers were travelling to Gusau from Bingi Kwatarkwashi in Kwatarkwashi Local Government Area when they were attacked.
The statement said the personnel, who were on pass, ran into an ambush at Gidan Goni village.
“On reaching Gidan Goni village via Kwatarkwashi, officers were ambushed and attacked by armed bandits,” the statement read.
“Inspector Ibrahim and five soldiers were shot dead, while some yet-to-be-identified personnel sustained injuries.”
The statement added that the injured officers and the bodies of the deceased were taken to Yeriman Bakura Specialist Hospital, Gusau, where the wounded received medical treatment.
The corpses were deposited at the hospital morgue.
“The squadron is in touch with the police component of OPFYM Gusau to convey the corpses to Kaduna for a befitting burial,” it stated.
Security authorities have urged residents to remain calm as investigations continue and further details are awaited.
The wireless statement reads: “GOOD EVENING SIR X SITREP X 19/01/2026 X FOLLOWING MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM UC 1 PMF DEPLOYED TO ZAMFARA AND ATTACHED TO OPERATION FANSAN YAMMA OPFYM GUSAU x ZAMFARA STATE X REGRETABLY BE INFORMED THAT X TODAY MONDAY X BEING 19/1/2026 AT ABOUT 0830HRS X AP NO.328102 INSP ALIYU IBRAHIM FROM 1 PMF KADUNA X AND SOME MILITARY PERSONNEL WERE ON PASS AND ARE ON THEIR WAY TO GUSAU ON FROM THEIR LOCATION IN BINGI KWATARKWASHI LGA ZAMFARA STATE X ON REACHING GIDAN GONI VILLAGE VIA KWATARKWASHI X OFFICERS WERE AMBUSHED AND ATTACKED BY ARMED BANDITS X INSPR IBRAHIM X AND FIVE SOLDIERS WERE SHOT DEAD X WHILE SOME YET TO BE IDENTIFIED PERSONNEL SUSTAINED INJURIES X VICTIMS AND CORPSES WERE RUSHED TO YERIMAN BAKURA SPECIALIST HOSPITAL GUSAU X FOR TREATMENT AND THEIR CORPSES WERE DEPOSITED IN THE HOSPITAL MORGUE X MORE DETAILS ON THE INCIDENT WILL BE COMMUNICATED YOURS X AREA REMAIN CALM X ENDS X THE SQUADRON IS IN TOUCH WITH POLICE COMPONENT OPFY GUSAU X TO CONVEY THE CORPSE TO KADUNA FOR A BEFITTING BURIAL X ABOVE FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND FURTHER DIRECTIVES X PLEASE X C/ O 1 PMF KADUNA XXXXX.”
The attack comes amid renewed violence by armed bandits across the North-West.
It was reported that seven villagers were killed and three abducted in a separate bandit attack on Kyara village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The attackers reportedly invaded the border community near the Niger Republic at about 4am, firing sporadically and causing panic.
“Seven villagers were shot dead during the raid, while two others sustained gunshot injuries. An unspecified number of livestock were also rustled,” a source told Sahara Reporters.
In neighbouring Zamfara State, a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) explosion was also reported last week, leaving five persons seriously injured.