Police confirmed the deadly ambush as reports said the officers were travelling from Sokoto to Zamfara for a special duty assignment before being attacked by bandits
Five police officers have reportedly been killed after suspected bandits ambushed a vehicle conveying security personnel from Sokoto to Zamfara State along the Sokoto-Gusau highway, raising fresh concerns about the safety of officers and other road users in the North-West.
The attack was reported on Monday, 2 November 2026. The spokesperson of the Office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 10, DSP Abdullahi Faruk, confirmed the incident.
The incident raises questions about the safety of major highways in Nigeria’s North-West, where armed groups have continued to threaten travellers and security personnel. It also highlights the risks facing officers deployed for assignments in areas affected by insecurity.
How the Bandits attack happened
According to reports, the officers were travelling from Sokoto State to Zamfara State when armed men ambushed the vehicle conveying them.
The officers were reportedly travelling in a convoy of three vehicles when the attackers opened fire on the vehicle bringing up the rear.
Read also: Atiku, Tinubu Clash Over Kaduna Billboard Security as APC Fires Back With AI, Deepfake Allegations
A surviving officer, who reportedly witnessed the incident, said the gunmen suddenly targeted the third vehicle. He disclosed that five of his colleagues died in the attack.
The officers were reportedly travelling in a Zamfara State mass transit vehicle popularly known as Bazamfara.
Photographs and videos circulated online after the incident showed the bodies of some of the officers inside the vehicle. The images reportedly showed their hands and legs tied.
However, the circumstances surrounding the deaths, including whether the officers were restrained before or after they were killed, have not been independently established.
Police confirm deaths as bodies reach hospital
DSP Faruk, the spokesperson for the Office of the AIG, Zone 10, confirmed the attack during a telephone conversation with the Independent Newspaper.
He said the remains of the deceased officers had been deposited at the morgue of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto.
Faruk promised to provide further information about the incident.
Channels Television separately reported that the Zamfara State Police Command’s spokesperson declined to comment, explaining that the matter fell under the jurisdiction of the zonal command.
The television station also reported that the Zone 10 police spokesperson, Abdullahi Ambursa, confirmed the incident but could not provide further details at the time because he was in hospital.
The name DSP A.A. Halidu has also been circulated as one of the officers who died in the attack. However, the police have yet to publicly provide an official list of the victims in the reports reviewed for this story.
Nigerians react to the killings
The incident has attracted reactions from Nigerians on X, with some expressing grief over the deaths and others questioning the country’s ability to protect people travelling on major highways.
A user identified as @humblennnnl questioned the description of the attackers as bandits, writing: “Why are people still calling these guys bandits, for heaven’s sake? These are terrorist killers.”
Another user, @betacuntri, questioned how armed security personnel could be overpowered by the attackers, comparing their experience with that of ordinary Nigerians who travel on the country’s roads without armed protection.
The user wrote: “They were armed but couldn’t defend themselves. Now, imagine armless Nigerians plying our deadly roads daily without any security or protection.”
@DonKAYBEE001 described the incident as sad and unfortunate, while @TruthIsHurtfull criticised what the user considered unequal security responses to violence in different parts of the country.
Another user, @DonKofiAdM1N, expressed frustration over the killings and questioned the sacrifices made by security personnel serving the country.
These comments reflect the anger and frustration expressed by some social media users following the incident.
New to NewsFlashNGR? Follow us for breaking global and African news
