By SUNTV Global Channel | January 13, 2026
Fresh violence has rocked Zamfara State as armed bandits launched a deadly midnight raid on communities in Bungudu Local Government Area, killing one resident, abducting at least 10 villagers, and stealing several cows.
The attack occurred at about 12:40 a.m. on Monday, when a large number of gunmen, firing sporadically, stormed Gidan Yawa and Lamuntani villages in the Gulubba District, sending terrified residents fleeing into the night.
Security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama confirmed the incident on Tuesday, disclosing that a 32-year-old man, Abdullahi Sani, was shot dead during the raid.
According to Makama, the attackers also abducted 10 villagers and made away with at least eight cows before retreating to an unknown location.
The latest assault comes amid a worsening security crisis in Zamfara. Earlier reports revealed that bandits had also abducted a police officer and three other travellers along the Gusau–Sokoto highway last Friday afternoon.
That incident reportedly occurred around 1:10 p.m. in Maradun Local Government Area, where heavily armed men mounted a roadblock near Gidan Kano village and forcefully seized four occupants from a vehicle in broad daylight.
Makama identified one of the victims as Police Constable Gaddafi Faruku, while the identities of the remaining abductees are yet to be disclosed. The victims were reportedly taken to an undisclosed location by armed groups believed to be terrorising Zamfara and neighbouring states.
Security agencies have launched operations to track down the perpetrators and secure the release of the abducted victims, but no major breakthrough has been announced so far.
Residents have been urged to remain vigilant and support security operatives with credible information that could help dismantle the criminal networks responsible for the attacks.
The Gusau–Sokoto highway and several rural communities across Zamfara have increasingly become unsafe, with frequent reports of kidnappings, killings, and ambushes despite repeated assurances from authorities.
As fear spreads, many commuters now avoid road travel or move in convoys, while entire communities continue to live under the constant threat of bandit attacks.
Zamfara remains one of the states worst hit by Nigeria’s banditry crisis, as armed groups continue to operate with impunity—abducting civilians and even security personnel, while demanding huge ransoms for their release.
— SUNTV Global Channel
