Suspected bandits have abducted the Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Hon. Nura Umar Bungudu, after attacking his residence and killing four members of his security team.
The gunmen reportedly invaded Bungudu town on Thursday night and headed straight to the council chairman’s residence in the Zango area, less than 20 kilometres from the Zamfara State capital, Gusau.
According to residents, the attackers overpowered security personnel guarding the house, killing two police officers and two vigilantes before abducting the chairman, his wife and some members of his family.
A resident said the security team fought back but could not withstand the firepower of the attackers.
“They killed two policemen and two vigilantes, including one volunteer vigilante who had been actively helping to protect the town from bandit attacks,” Daily Trust quoted the source.
Describing the attack, the resident added, “The bandits came into the town determined to carry out their mission. The chairman’s security team put up resistance, but they were outgunned.”
The source disclosed that security operatives who responded to the incident later pursued the attackers and managed to rescue four or five of the chairman’s children. However, the chairman remained in captivity.
“They kidnapped the chairman along with his wife and children, but security personnel later rescued some of the children. Unfortunately, the chairman was taken away,” the resident said.
He explained that reinforcement teams arrived after the bandits had already escaped from the area.
“The security personnel tried their best, but by the time reinforcements got there, the bandits had already executed their plan and escaped,” he added.
The resident blamed the continued attacks in the area on the sophisticated weapons used by bandits and the activities of informants allegedly assisting the criminal groups.
“They don’t give any warning before attacking. They come heavily armed and in large numbers. Despite the efforts of security forces, they still managed to escape with the chairman,” he said, urging the government to strengthen security across Bungudu and other vulnerable communities.
“Our people resisted alongside the security forces, but the bandits overpowered them. They carry sophisticated weapons that ordinary people cannot match. We appeal to the authorities to do more to protect lives and property,” he added.
Efforts to get official confirmation from the Zamfara State Police Command were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Abuja had on Thursday sentenced three men to life imprisonment over their roles in the kidnapping of students and teachers at a school in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The convicts, Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid, Yunusa Musa, also known as Yunusa bin Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar, were found guilty after pleading guilty to some of the charges filed against them by the Federal Government.
The three men admitted concealing information about the masterminds of the school abduction and also pleaded guilty to belonging to Darul Salam, which prosecutors identified as an affiliate of the banned terrorist group Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru).
While all three defendants pleaded guilty to counts relating to concealment of information and membership of a terrorist organisation, Abdulrazak Umar also admitted additional charges of providing terrorist training through a WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.” They denied the remaining charges, which will proceed to trial.
Delivering judgment, Justice Salim Ibrahim convicted the three men on the charges to which they pleaded guilty and sentenced each of them to life imprisonment.
Court documents also alleged that Abdulrazak Umar engaged in illegal gold mining in streams around the Chaza area of Suleja, Niger State, between 2024 and 2026 without lawful authorisation. The defendants were arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) following investigations into the high-profile school kidnapping, while security sources said investigations are continuing into other suspects linked to the case.
