By Aminu Dalhatu
The Zamfara State Police Command says its operatives, in collaboration with other security agencies, have foiled a bandits’ attack on the Gusau–Funtua Federal Highway in Tsafe Local Government Area of the state.
The operation also led to the rescue of nine persons who were intercepted by the armed criminals and the recovery of eleven locally fabricated AK-47 rifles in a separate intelligence-led operation.
According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar, the incident occurred on August 28, 2026, at about 1:20 p.m., after the Tsafe Divisional Police Headquarters received information about heavy gunshots along the Kwanoni–Gidan Giye axis of the highway.
It says preliminary investigation revealed that the bandits had intercepted two vehicles and one was a Sharon mini-bus, with registration number KWL 742 ZY, driven by Lawal Dauda of Zaria Local Government Area, Kaduna State, and conveying seven passengers from Gusau to Zaria.
While the second was an unregistered bus driven by Haruna Alhaji Nasiru of Danja Local Government Area, Katsina State, conveying his son, Sanusi Haruna, and transporting dry cassava from Sokoto to Funtua in Katsina State.
On receiving the distress report, the Divisional Police Officer, Tsafe, alongside operatives of the Violence Crime Response Unit and military personnel under Operation Fansan Yamma, swiftly mobilised to the scene and engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel.
The superior response of the security forces forced the criminals to abandon their mission and retreat towards the mountainous outskirts of Tsafe town.
Some of the bandits are believed to have sustained gunshot wounds during the encounter.
All nine occupants of the two vehicles were rescued unharmed.
In a separate operation later the same day, at about 5:30 p.m., VCRU operatives, acting on credible intelligence, arrested a 50-year-old man identified as Khalid Umar of Bawa Ganga Village in Tsafe Local Government Area.
The suspect was intercepted along the Funtua–Tsafe Federal Highway while allegedly conveying eleven locally fabricated AK-47 rifles.
Police said preliminary investigation indicated that the suspect was allegedly transporting the firearms from Shuwaki Village in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State to Bawa Ganga in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The suspect remains in police custody, while the recovered firearms have been secured for further investigation to determine their source, intended recipients and other persons connected with their procurement and movement.
Editing By Godwin Duru
