A threatening number of armed bandits invaded Zurmi town in Zamfara State on Sunday evening, killing seven police officers.
The bandits attacked the divisional headquarters of the Nigerian Police Force in Zurmi, in Northeast Zamfara, on entering the town. Seven policemen on duty including the divisional crime officer were gunned down and the police station was set ablaze.
The attack was in reprisal of for the killing of three bandit mercenaries by the local civilian guards in the village, according to a local who spoke to the press.
“The bandits mobilized themselves in large numbers and headed to the police station in Zurmi, thinking that their kinsman, who were arrested by the vigilantes and the police, were in the custody of the police,” said the source.
“Immediately after arriving at the police station, they opened fire, killing the DCO and injuring other policemen. They went into the police station to look for their kinsman but could not see him, as such, they set the place on fire.” TruthNigeria has documented that Nigerian police have made multiple arrests of kidnappers in mid-February as part of a nationwide effort of the federal government to conquer the 200 or more bandit gangs operating in the North-western states. A viral video depicting the arrest of a subcommander of the Bello Turji crime syndicate has been translated and analysed by TruthNigeria here.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
