Zamfara Police Rescue Nine Travelers from Bandits

On August 28, 2026, police in Zamfara rescued nine travelers during a gun battle with suspected bandits. The incident occurred around 1:20 PM when the Tsafe Divisional Police Headquarters received reports of gunfire near the Kwanoni-Gidan Giye axis.

The bandits had intercepted two vehicles: a Sharon mini-bus driven by Lawal Dauda, carrying seven passengers from Gusau to Zaria, and an unregistered bus driven by Haruna Alhaji Nasiru, transporting dry cassava from Sokoto to Funtua. The Tsafe Divisional Police Officer, along with the Violence Crime Response Unit (VCRU) and military personnel from Operation FANSAN YAMMA, responded to the distress call, engaging the bandits and forcing them to flee.

All nine occupants were rescued unharmed. Later that day, at approximately 5:30 PM, VCRU operatives arrested Khalid Umar, 50, who was allegedly transporting 11 locally fabricated AK-47 rifles from Shuwaki Village in Bakori LGA to Bawa Ganga Village in Tsafe LGA.

The firearms have been secured for further investigation, and the police assured continued patrols to enhance safety along major highways.