The Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Nura Abdullahi, has been abducted by suspected terrorists following an early morning attack on his residence on Saturday.
The assault left two police officers, a local vigilante and a civilian dead, while troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA rescued five members of the chairman’s family and launched a search-and-rescue operation to secure his release.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lt. Col. Aliyu Danja, said the attackers overpowered the chairman’s security personnel before taking him into the surrounding bushes.
According to the military, troops responded swiftly after hearing gunfire and pursued the fleeing terrorists, engaging them in a fierce gun battle that forced the attackers to abandon five members of the chairman’s family.
“On hearing gunshots, troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA responded immediately and swiftly moved to the scene where they engaged in hot pursuit of the terrorists, leading to a fierce exchange of fire. Troops’ prompt intervention forced the terrorists to abandon five of the chairman’s family members, comprising two of his children, mother, wife and relatives, who were successfully rescued,” the statement read.
Despite the military’s intervention, the terrorists escaped with the council chairman.
The statement added that the attack claimed the lives of two police officers and a local vigilante who were part of the chairman’s security detail and resisted the attackers. A civilian was also killed, while the chairman’s elder brother, Alhaji Bello Umar, sustained injuries during the assault.
The military disclosed that a coordinated search-and-rescue operation involving Operation FANSAN YAMMA troops, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS) and local vigilantes had been activated to locate and rescue the abducted chairman.
“Security forces are currently conducting deliberate operations at the suspected location of the terrorists, aimed at safely rescuing the abducted Chairman,” the statement added.
The Theatre Command said it had deployed all available resources to the operation and assured the Zamfara State Government and residents that every lawful effort was being made to secure Abdullahi’s safe release.
It also appealed to members of the public to remain calm and support ongoing operations by providing credible intelligence through established security channels.
The command reaffirmed its commitment to working with other security agencies to restore peace in the region and bring those responsible for the attack to justice.
