Bandits Kill Several Vigilante Members In Bauchi State Ambush

The Bauchi State Police Command has confirmed that several members of a local vigilante group were killed in an ambush by armed bandits near the Bauchi–Plateau border.

The attack occurred on Sunday, May 4, 2025, and has sparked widespread concern in the region.

In a statement issued on Monday, Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, revealed that the incident was reported at approximately 9:40 am on Sunday at the Alkaleri Divisional Police Headquarters. According to Wakil, the attack took place earlier in the day, around 5:40 am.

Wakil said, “A combined team of professional hunters from Duguri and Gwana District, while on a routine patrol along Duguri, Mansur, and the Dajin Madam forest bordering Bauchi and Plateau State, encountered an ambush by armed bandits.

“This confrontation resulted in numerous casualties on both sides, including members of the vigilante group and the bandits themselves.”

He confirmed that a tactical police team was immediately dispatched to the scene, where they recovered the bodies of those killed. Initial reports indicated that the victims included members of the vigilante group as well as some civilians from Sabuwar Sara village.

“The victims were reportedly shot while trying to escape the ambush,” Wakil added, indicating the tragic circumstances of the attack.

A special police team has been formed to investigate the ambush and apprehend those responsible for the killings. Wakil emphasised that authorities are working diligently to track down the bandits and anyone linked to the crime.

Bauchi State’s Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, visited community leaders in the affected area to express his condolences and to offer support.

Aliyu condemned the attack in the strongest terms, describing it as “utterly reprehensible” and a significant threat to the peace and security of the state. He assured the community that full-scale efforts would be made to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“The Commissioner characterized these acts as utterly reprehensible and a significant threat to the peace and security of the state and assured the area of full-scale efforts to bring the perpetrators to book,” Wakil concluded.