The Kebbi State Police Command on Monday confirmed the killing of a
Divisional Police Officer (DPO), eight other policemen and two ‘Yan
Sa-Kai operatives during a gun duel with suspected bandits in Sakaba
Local Government Areas of the state.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Nafi’u Abubakar,
disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi.
Abubakar said: “DPO Sakaba, eight other policemen and two ‘yan-sa-kais
lost their lives during a gun duel with the bandits on Sunday at about
14:30 hours.”
Credible sources who preferred to be anonimous told NAN that some
bandits on Sunday attacked Dankolo, Sakaba, Makuku, Dokar Kambari and
Kurmin Hodo villages of Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The sources said two vigilante operatives, popularly known as
’Yan-Sa-Kai’ and an unspecified number of residents of the villages were
also killed.
“The bandits too suffered heavy casualty from our men,” one of the
sources said.
A resident, Salisu Adamu, said: “Bandits attacked our villages since
around 8:00 a.m. Please we need your prayers.
“They have killed DPO Jimoh Abdullahi, four policemen and two ’Yan sa
Kais’. Please we need your prayers. They killed seven people in Inana
village alone.
“They carted away thousands of cattle from Dankolo, Sakaba, Makuku,
Dokar Kambari and Kurmin Hodo villages and many food items as they came
with more than 100 motorcycles, well-armed.
“They started shooting sporadically which prompted the village people to
flee for safety in different directions.”
Husseini Bala, a resident of Dirin Daji, said that seven mobile police
officers, the DPO and his orderly were missing.
“The DPO, his orderly, one inspector and seven mobile policemen are
still not accounted for. We don’t know whether they are dead or alive,”
he said.
Spokesperson of the Kebbi State Police Command, ASP Nafiu Abubakar, did
not respond to calls and text messages sent to his number up till the
time of filing this report.
Alhaji Ladan Musa Mohammed, Chief of Sakaba Chiefdom, when contacted by
journalists, described the attack as disheartening. (NAN)