The Zamfara State Police Command repelled two separate bandit attacks on Thursday night in the Maru and Bukkuyum local government areas. Deputy Superintendent of Police Yazid Abubakar, the police spokesperson, said the first incident occurred at about 7:30 pm on April 9, 2026, when roughly ten motorcycles carrying suspected bandits armed with AK‑47 rifles confronted police at a pin‑down point on the Kadauri/Kizawa axis in Maru. Police operatives returned fire, driving the attackers into the forest where they sustained gunshot wounds. A member of the Kadauri Vigilante Group was hit, rushed to General Hospital, Maru and remains under treatment.
Abubakar added that at approximately 1:35 am the same day, a larger group of armed bandits equipped with sophisticated weapons attacked Yar Galma village in Bukkuyum. A joint force of police and vigilantes engaged the gunmen, forcing them to retreat into the forest with injuries.
During the Bukkuyum clash, four residents of Yar Galma were wounded; they were evacuated to General Hospital, Bukkuyum for care. Both locations have since returned to normal, while police continue patrols and monitoring.
Abubakar reiterated the command's commitment to protect lives and property and appealed for the public's continued provision of credible, timely information to security agencies.
The rapid joint deployment of police and vigilante groups in Maru and Bukkuyum signals a growing reliance on community militias to counter bandit incursions.
The assaults involved ten motorcycles and "sophisticated weapons," with coordinated night‑time attacks at 7:30 pm and 1:35 am, underscoring the enhanced firepower and persistence of bandit gangs in Zamfara. The detailed timeline provided by Deputy Superintendent Yazid Abubakar highlights how the threat spans multiple hours and locales.
For residents of the two LGAs, the immediate risk is tangible: one vigilante and four civilians suffered gunshot injuries, and their treatment at the
