At least five Nigerian soldiers and a police inspector have been killed following an ambush by suspected terrorists in Zamfara State.
The attack occurred on Monday along the Gidan Goni axis via Kwatarkwashi in Kwatarkwashi Local Government Area of the state. Among those killed was Inspector Aliyu Ibrahim of the 1 Police Mobile Force (PMF), Kaduna.
According to a wireless message from the 1 PMF Kaduna unit attached to Operation Fansan Yamma in Gusau, the victims were travelling on pass from Bingi Kwatarkwashi to Gusau when they were ambushed by armed assailants.
The statement said the officers came under attack on reaching Gidan Goni village, where Inspector Ibrahim and five soldiers were shot dead. Several other security personnel, whose identities have yet to be confirmed, sustained injuries during the assault.
The injured officers and the corpses of the deceased were taken to Yeriman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau. The injured are currently receiving treatment, while the bodies have been deposited at the hospital morgue.
Authorities said arrangements are being made in coordination with the police component of Operation Fansan Yamma in Gusau to convey the remains of the deceased to Kaduna for burial.
Residents have been urged to remain calm as security agencies continue to assess the situation and await further details on the incident.
The attack comes amid ongoing security challenges in the North-West region. SaharaReporters had earlier reported that bandits recently killed at least seven people and abducted three others in a raid on Kyara village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, while a separate suspected improvised explosive device explosion injured five persons in Zamfara State.
