Suspected bandits have abducted the Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Hon. Nura Umar Bungudu, during a deadly late-night attack on his residence in Bungudu town.
The gunmen reportedly invaded the chairman’s home in the Zango area on Thursday night, less than 20 kilometres from the state capital, Gusau, where they engaged security personnel in a fierce gun battle before abducting the council boss.
According to residents, the attackers overpowered the security team protecting the residence, killing two police officers and two vigilantes in the process.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the assailants initially abducted the chairman alongside his wife and children after overwhelming the security operatives with superior firepower.
“The chairman’s security team resisted the attack, but the bandits were heavily armed and outgunned them. They succeeded in carrying away the chairman and members of his family,” the source said.
The resident disclosed that security operatives who launched a pursuit after the attack succeeded in rescuing four or five of the chairman’s children, but the chairman remained in captivity.
“They took the chairman, his wife and children, but security personnel later rescued some of the children during the chase. Unfortunately, the chairman was taken away,” the source added.
Although reinforcement teams were reportedly deployed, they arrived after the attackers had fled the area.
The resident attributed the recurring attacks in the area to the sophisticated weapons used by the bandits and the activities of suspected informants who allegedly provide intelligence to the criminal groups.
He appealed to the government and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure Bungudu and other vulnerable communities across Zamfara State, stressing that local residents had joined security personnel in resisting the attack but were ultimately overwhelmed.
As of the time of filing this report, the Zamfara State Police Command had yet to officially confirm the incident. Calls and a text message sent to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar, were not returned.
The incident marks another high-profile abduction in Zamfara State amid persistent security challenges in the North-West region.
At press time, checks revealed that there has been no official announcement from the Zamfara State Government, the police, or other security agencies confirming his release.
Credit: Daily Trust except headline
