The Kebbi State Police Command on Monday confirmed the killing of a Divisional Police Officer (DPO), eight other policemen and two ‘Yan Sa-Kai operatives during a gun duel with suspected bandits in Sakaba Local Government Areas of the state.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Nafi’u Abubakar, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi.
Abubakar said: “DPO Sakaba, eight other policemen and two ‘yan-sa-kais lost their lives during a gun duel with the bandits on Sunday at about 14:30 hours.”
Credible sources who preferred to be anonimous told NAN that some bandits on Sunday attacked Dankolo, Sakaba, Makuku, Dokar Kambari and Kurmin Hodo villages of Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The sources said two vigilante operatives, popularly known as ’Yan-Sa-Kai’ and an unspecified number of residents of the villages were also killed.
“The bandits too suffered heavy casualty from our men,” one of the sources said.
A resident, Salisu Adamu, said: “Bandits attacked our villages since around 8:00 a.m. Please we need your prayers.
“They have killed DPO Jimoh Abdullahi, four policemen and two ’Yan sa Kais’. Please we need your prayers. They killed seven people in Inana village alone.
“They carted away thousands of cattle from Dankolo, Sakaba, Makuku, Dokar Kambari and Kurmin Hodo villages and many food items as they came with more than 100 motorcycles, well-armed.
“They started shooting sporadically which prompted the village people to flee for safety in different directions.”
Husseini Bala, a resident of Dirin Daji, said that seven mobile police officers, the DPO and his orderly were missing.
“The DPO, his orderly, one inspector and seven mobile policemen are still not accounted for. We don’t know whether they are dead or alive,” he said.
Spokesperson of the Kebbi State Police Command, ASP Nafiu Abubakar, did not respond to calls and text messages sent to his number up till the time of filing this report.
Alhaji Ladan Musa Mohammed, Chief of Sakaba Chiefdom, when contacted by journalists, described the attack as disheartening. (NAN)
