Several Shops, Police Headquarters In Zamfara Set On Fire, As Bandits Invade Zurumi, Kill DCO, 6 Other Policemen

Bandits have allegedly killed a Divisional Crime Officer and six others in an attack on police divisional headquarters in Zurmi Local Government Area, Zamfara State.

An indigene of the area, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the bandits, who came in large numbers and armed with sophisticated weapons, invaded Zurmi town, the headquarters of Zurmi LGA around 5 pm on Sunday, February 18, 2024. Several shops were set ablaze by the bandits.

Ibrahim said immediately the bandits arrived the town, they proceeded straight to the police station where they began shooting sporadically, killing the DCO and injuring many police officers on duty before setting the police station ablaze.

According to him, the bandits attacked the police station following the killing of three of their men by the vigilante and Police force. “The vigilante group went to the forest with the police and attacked the bandits’ camp where they killed three of the bandits and captured one of them,” he said.

“They later killed the bandit they arrested after beating him severely. For this reason, the bandits mobilized themselves in large numbers and went to the police station in Zurmi, thinking that their member was in police custody.

“Immediately they arrived at the police station, they opened fire, killing the DCO and injuring other policemen. They went into the police station to look for their member but could not see him, they then decided to set the place on fire.

“As I am talking to you now, the military personnel have arrived at the town while the bandits have since returned to the forest.”