From Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto
The Sokoto State Police Command has foiled a major attack on Daraye Village in Wamakko Local Government Area, neutralizing one bandit and recovering an AK-47 rifle alongside 28 rounds of live ammunition.
The operational breakthrough was disclosed in a statement on Sunday by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Ahmad Rufai.
According to the police, the command received a distress call at about 1:35 AM on Saturday, July 4, 2026, warning that heavily armed bandits were invading the community.
Operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, the Violent Crime Reduction Unit (VCRU), and other tactical teams were immediately deployed to reinforce the Wamakko Divisional Police Officer.
“Upon arrival, the team aggressively engaged the assailants in a fierce and prolonged gun duel.
“Demonstrating superior tactical proficiency, the operatives successfully overpowered the bandits, forcing them to abandon their mission and retreat in disarray into the forest with several bullet wounds,” the statement read.
It added that during a subsequent combing of the nearby bushes, police found the body of one neutralized bandit, along with the recovered weapon and a magazine loaded with 7.62mm live ammunition.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, commended the officers’ gallantry and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to wiping out banditry in the state.
Meanwhile, confidence-building patrols are ongoing in the area, and neighboring divisional headquarters have been placed on high alert to intercept any fleeing, wounded suspects seeking medical treatment.
