Gusau, Zamfara State – A wave of fear has swept across Zamfara State following a high-profile, brazen attack in the Tsauni community of Gusau on Wednesday night, where armed bandits abducted two sitting local government councillors and a respected community Imam.
The three victims; who include the councillors representing Gidan Gona and Tsibiri wards in Maradun Local Government Area were violently seized from outside their homes at approximately 7:00 pm, shortly after evening prayers.
Audacity of Attack Shakes Security Zone
The incident is particularly alarming due to the location of the target. The Tsauni community, located unsettlingly close to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Command headquarters in Gusau, is also known to host Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who fled banditry in other parts of the state. The attack sends a chilling message across an already vulnerable population and challenges the proximity of security installations.
The State Police Command confirmed the abduction. The Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Yazid Abubakar, stated that a tactical deployment has been made and “efforts are ongoing to rescue the three victims.” He urged residents to immediately assist police with actionable intelligence to curtail such security breaches.
Six Persons Initially Seized, Three Freed
The gravity of the attack was further underscored by the Chairman of Maradun Local Government, Sanusi Gamagiwa, who corroborated the police report but revealed a wider scope of the initial operation.
Gamagiwa disclosed via telephone that the gunmen initially abducted six people, but later released three victims, leaving the two councillors and the Imam in captivity.
“They later released three persons and left with the two councillors and the Imam of the area,” Gamagiwa stated. He confirmed that the abductors have yet to make contact or state their demands, leaving the families and authorities in agonizing suspense.
The kidnapping of elected officials and a religious leader in one swift, brutal operation marks a significant escalation in the audacity of criminal elements operating in the state, despite ongoing military and police operations.
