Zamfara State has been rocked by yet another deadly attack as bandits shot and injured General Lawal B. Muhammad (rtd.), the Director General of the Zamfara State Community Protection Guards (CPG).
The incident occurred on Sunday evening, during an armed ambush on motorists in Kucheri village, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The bandits, in a brazen attack, blocked the Funtua-Tsafe road, a major highway in the region, and opened fire on unsuspecting travelers, including the retired General.
Eyewitness Accounts: Terror on the Highway
Eyewitnesses reported that the armed criminals laid siege to the busy highway, attacking vehicles and abducting passengers. Many motorists, fearing for their lives, attempted to flee, but the bandits shot indiscriminately, causing panic and chaos.
One source from the Zamfara State Ministry of Internal Security, who requested anonymity, confirmed that the retired General sustained gunshot wounds and was rushed to the Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau, the state capital.
“It is confirmed that the Director General of the Community Protection Guards was shot by the bandits during the attack, and he is currently receiving treatment at the hospital,” the source stated.
The attack on General Muhammad, who has been at the forefront of community security efforts, highlights the escalating violence in Zamfara State, where banditry and kidnappings have become disturbingly routine.
Series of Deadly Attacks on Security Forces
This incident comes just days after another violent assault by bandits in Tsafe Local Government Area, where eight members of the Community Protection Guards (CPG) were brutally killed, along with a commercial driver.
The CPG personnel, who were deployed to safeguard communities from bandit attacks, were ambushed in Unguwar Chida village. Reports indicate that the bandits overwhelmed the security forces in a surprise attack, killing the guards in cold blood.
An eyewitness, a resident of Unguwar Chida, disclosed that the two attacks—the ambush on the CPG members and the shootout with soldiers—happened almost simultaneously. The bandits also killed a commercial driver and injured three soldiers during the skirmish. Unguwar Chida is located near Magazu, a village along the same Funtua-Gusau road that was attacked just days later.
Retaliation and Ongoing Struggles with Banditry
Following the attack that claimed the lives of the CPG personnel, General Muhammad had been determined to strengthen security in the area. Speaking about the earlier incident, he expressed his frustration over the relentless bandit attacks.
“After I realised that bandits have made operations in Tsafe a routine exercise, I deployed 105 CPG personnel to the local government and stationed them at this particular point to protect travellers,” the General had said before the latest attack.
He explained that his team had been caught off-guard by the bandits. “Unfortunately, the bandits on Sunday ambushed my boys. I suspect that the bandits slept there because my boys used to go there early in the morning. So, while my boys were about to come down from their patrol van, the bandits opened fire and killed some of them on the spot. It is quite unfortunate,” General Muhammad lamented.
The bandit attacks in Zamfara have become more frequent, with security forces and civilians alike falling victim to the violence. In recent months, the armed groups have expanded their operations, carrying out more daring and deadly raids, often targeting security personnel and kidnapping civilians for ransom.
Zamfara: A State Under Siege
Zamfara State, located in Nigeria’s North-West region, has been one of the hardest-hit by banditry and armed violence. The region’s rural communities and highways have been under constant threat from bandit gangs, who have terrorized residents, abducted people, and extorted hefty ransoms.
Despite numerous government efforts to contain the violence, including military operations and the deployment of local vigilante groups like the Community Protection Guards, the bandits remain a formidable force. The attacks have only worsened in recent years, leaving many rural communities abandoned, with residents fleeing for their safety.
Zamfara’s security challenges have been exacerbated by the rugged terrain and dense forests, which provide a haven for the bandits. In addition, the lack of adequate security infrastructure, coupled with widespread poverty, has contributed to the persistence of the violence.
Government Efforts to Curb Banditry
The Zamfara State government has made several attempts to curtail the activities of bandits in the region. In recent years, the state introduced peace negotiations, offering amnesty to bandits willing to lay down their arms. However, these peace efforts have largely failed, with many bandits reneging on their agreements and continuing their criminal activities.
In response to the escalating violence, the government formed the Community Protection Guards, a local security initiative aimed at empowering communities to defend themselves against bandit attacks. These guards, who are often members of the affected communities, work in collaboration with the state government and federal security agencies to maintain peace and security.
However, the recent wave of attacks has shown the limitations of these local security forces, who are often outgunned and outnumbered by the well-armed bandits.