In a tragic incident in Zamfara State, a Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) along with six others were reportedly killed during an assault on the police divisional headquarters in Zurmi Local Government Area. A local, Mohammed Ibrahim, shared with Punch that a large group of heavily armed bandits stormed the town of Zurmi, the LGA’s center, at around 5 pm on Sunday, February 18, 2024. The attack not only led to loss of lives but also resulted in several shops being torched by the attackers.
Ibrahim recounted that upon their arrival, the bandits directly targeted the police station, unleashing a barrage of gunfire that resulted in the death of the DCO and injuries to other police officers. The attack also saw the police station being set ablaze by the assailants.
This violent outbreak was reportedly in retaliation for the killing of three bandit members by local vigilantes, according to the witness. Ibrahim detailed an earlier confrontation where vigilantes, alongside police forces, had raided a bandit camp in the forest, killing three bandits and capturing another. The captured bandit was subsequently killed after a severe beating. Motivated by revenge for their fallen members, the bandits amassed and attacked the police station in Zurmi, mistakenly believing their captured comrade was held there.
Upon realizing their target was not in the station, they proceeded to set the facility on fire. Ibrahim noted that military personnel have since been deployed to the town, while the bandits retreated back into the forest.