Bandits Ambush Police Officers on Sokoto–Zamfara Highway, Several Feared Dead
By Yusuf Gwandu and Fahad Muhammad Galadanchi
Several police officers are feared dead, while others have reportedly been abducted following an ambush by suspected bandits along the Sokoto–Gusau highway.
The attack occurred on Monday, November 2, 2026, when the officers were travelling from Sokoto State to Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, in a Zamfara State Mass Transit vehicle popularly known as Bazamfara.
Sources disclosed that the officers were travelling to provide security for the ongoing APC primary election for the Zamfara North Senatorial District in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area when armed men attacked their vehicle and opened fire on the occupants.
Some of the officers were reportedly killed during the ambush, while others were said to have been taken away by the attackers.
However, the exact number of casualties and abducted personnel remained unclear as of the time of filing this report.
Footage circulating on social media showed a white-and-green Zamfara State Mass Transit vehicle badly damaged by gunfire, with several bullet holes across its body and shattered windows.
The video also captured security personnel at the scene, apparently assessing the situation following the attack.
It was equally unclear whether the attackers carted away firearms, ammunition or other belongings belonging to the security personnel.
Nigeria Stories first reported the incident in a post on X, which included footage of the damaged vehicle and the security response at the scene.
Efforts to reach the Zamfara State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer for confirmation were unsuccessful, as calls placed to his phone were not answered.
As of Monday afternoon, the police command had not issued an official statement confirming the reported deaths or abductions.
The latest incident has heightened concerns over persistent security threats along major highways connecting Sokoto and Zamfara states, where armed groups continue to pose serious risks to travellers and security personnel.
The circumstances surrounding the ambush, as well as the identities of the victims and the number of officers reportedly abducted, remain unclear.
