Suspected bandits have abducted the Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Hon. Nura Umar Bungudu, after launching a deadly attack on his residence that left four security personnel dead.
The attack, which took place on Thursday night, has again highlighted the worsening security situation in Zamfara, one of the states most affected by banditry in Nigeria’s North-West.
According to residents, the heavily armed attackers invaded Bungudu town and went straight to the council chairman’s residence in the Zango area, which is located less than 20 kilometres from Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.
Witnesses said the gunmen arrived in large numbers and immediately engaged the security personnel stationed at the residence. Despite attempts by the security team to resist the attack, the assailants reportedly overpowered them with superior weapons.
During the exchange of gunfire, two police officers and two local vigilantes attached to the chairman’s security detail were killed.
After overcoming the security team, the attackers reportedly forced their way into the residence and abducted the council chairman along with members of his family.
A resident familiar with the incident said the bandits initially took away Hon. Bungudu, his wife and their children before fleeing into the surrounding bush.
However, security operatives who immediately launched a pursuit were said to have caught up with the fleeing gunmen at some point, leading to the rescue of four or five of the chairman’s children.
Despite the rescue operation, the council chairman was not freed and is believed to still be in the custody of his abductors at the time of filing this report. It was not immediately clear whether his wife also remained in captivity.
Sources said reinforcement teams arrived in Bungudu after the attackers had already escaped from the area, making it difficult to stop the abduction.
One resident blamed the repeated attacks on communities in the area on the sophisticated weapons being used by criminal groups.
“The security personnel fought bravely, but the attackers had better weapons and were too many,” the resident said.
He also alleged that informants operating within local communities were helping the bandits by providing information about potential targets and the movement of security personnel.
According to him, tackling the activities of these informants is as important as confronting the armed groups themselves.
Residents of Bungudu have expressed fear over the latest attack, describing it as another sign that insecurity continues to spread despite ongoing military operations in the state.
Many appealed to the federal and state governments to deploy more security personnel and improve intelligence gathering in vulnerable communities.
They also called for stronger cooperation between security agencies and local residents to identify and arrest those suspected of supplying information to criminal gangs.
Zamfara has remained one of the states worst hit by bandit attacks over the past several years. Armed groups have repeatedly carried out raids on villages, highways and towns, often killing residents, rustling cattle, burning homes and abducting people for ransom.
The activities of these criminal groups have displaced thousands of families, disrupted farming and commercial activities, and created a humanitarian crisis in many rural communities.
Although the Nigerian military, police and other security agencies have continued to carry out operations against bandit camps across Zamfara and neighbouring states, attacks have persisted in several local government areas.
Bungudu Local Government Area has experienced repeated security challenges because of its location and proximity to forests that have long served as hideouts for armed groups.
In recent months, security forces have announced the killing of several bandit leaders and the destruction of criminal camps during coordinated operations under various military campaigns in the North-West. Authorities have also recovered weapons and rescued kidnapped victims during some of the operations.
The latest abduction of a serving local government chairman is expected to raise fresh concerns about the safety of public officials and residents in areas affected by insecurity.
As of the time this report was filed, there was no official statement from the Zamfara State Government or security agencies on the attack or the efforts being made to secure the release of the council chairman.
Meanwhile, anxious residents continue to pray for the safe return of Hon. Nura Umar Bungudu while urging authorities to take urgent steps to prevent further attacks on communities across Zamfara State.