Terrorists Kill Five Policemen, Three  Soldiers in Zamfara

Abduct many travellers 

Onuminya Innocent

No fewer than eight security personnel have been killed by suspected terrorists yesterday during an ambush in Gusau – Funtua road.

The security operatives killed include five policemen and three soldiers.

The attack was said to have occurred while the security forces were escorting workers from Setraco Nigeria Limited, a construction company, in the Tsafe Local Government Area of the state.

A source from the military said the ambush caught the security team off guard.

It also revealed that a swift response from the troops of the Nigerian Army helped forestall further casualties.

A reinforcement team arrived at the scene, engaging in a fierce gunfight with the attackers, killing several of them.

However, some of the terrorists managed to escape, taking with them weapons stolen from the fallen security officers.

The military responded promptly to reinforce the team, and were able to neutralise many of the bandits. 

The police were said to have since evacuated the bodies of both their personnel and the terrorists.

Police spokesman, Assistant Superintendent, ASP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the incident and said that security forces have been deployed to the scene to ensure security along the highway. 

In another development terrorists have blocked Gusau – Funtua high way abducting scores of passengers.

A commuter, who spoke on condition of anonymity,  said the terrorists operated unchallenged for more than four hours, making many vehicles plying the roads to stop for hours.

He called on federal government to be sincere about war against terrorists stressing the matter is getting out of hands.

Another Zamfara resident Ibrahim Muhammad said despite presidential directive for Minister of Defence and service chiefs to relocate to Sokoto, abduction and killing is ongoing daily unabated.

It has been recalled that the Minister of State for Defence Mohamed Bello Matawalle and Chief of Defence Staff, General  Christopher Musa, last week relocated to Sokoto on the order of Mr President.

Their relocation was greeted with jubilation with many residents saying will mark the end of terror reign of terrorists in the North-western Nigeria..

Recently terrorist kingpin Bello Turji in a video vowed to unleash terror on people. But Matawalle and Musa  said his capture was eminent.