- Heavily armed bandits stormed the Bungudu LGA chairman’s residence late at night, killing two police officers, a vigilante and a water vendor
- A brother-in-law of Chairman Nura Umar Abdullahi said the attackers had detailed intelligence about the chairman’s movements before striking
- Family members said security agencies received alerts about suspicious movements in Bungudu town before the attack but did not act
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Zamfara State – Family members of abducted Bungudu Local Government Area Chairman, Hon. Nura Umar Abdullahi, have given chilling accounts of how armed bandits besieged his home in Zamfara State.
The bandits killed four people and held his family captive before carting him away on the night of the attack.
Abdulssalam Yunusa Mai Jama’a, known as Abbati and a brother-in-law to the chairman, said the gunmen appeared to have inside knowledge of the chairman’s movements.
He recalled being woken from sleep by attackers who insisted he was lying when he said the chairman was not home.
“They told me they knew the chairman had arrived with three people and that I was one of them. The others were my elder brother and the chairman’s son, Abba. That showed they had accurate information about us.”
As reported by Daily Trust, he put the number of attackers at roughly 20, all heavily armed. After failing to force open three entrances to the chairman’s apartment, the gunmen took Yunusa outside, bound his hands and left him in the backyard.
He later watched as the chairman’s wife and daughter were brought out before the chairman himself was seized.
Chairman pleaded for family’s release
As the captives were marched across the main road towards the bush, the chairman repeatedly appealed to the bandits to spare those with him.
“He told them, ‘They are all my children. Release them and take only me. I will give you whatever you want.'”
The bandits agreed, releasing the family members while taking the chairman and four other residents: Malam Halliru Ahmad Soja, Husseini Naira, Dan Tandu and a domestic worker named Akilu.
Yunusa said the ordeal began between 10:40 p.m. and 10:50 p.m. and stretched for more than two hours.
He expressed frustration over the slow response from security agencies, saying a timely intervention could have prevented the abductions entirely.
Family claims security agencies warned beforehand
Another family member, Anas Ibrahim, known as Dealer, said residents had noticed suspicious faces moving through Bungudu town before the attack and raised the alarm via social media, yet no action was taken.
He revealed that the attackers posted armed men around neighbouring houses to stop anyone from intervening.
The chairman’s elder brother, Alhaji Bello, a former state auditor, was shot three times after coming out of his home upon hearing about the attack.
Anas confirmed that four people died in the violence: two police officers attached to the chairman, a vigilante identified as Nura ADC, and a water vendor known as Ba’are who was caught up in the attack.
The chairman’s wife, Balira, said the bandits directed those they freed towards the Yar Zaude area on their way back into town.
“It is heartbreaking that they carried out the operation for hours and left with the chairman without any interruption.”
Source: Legit.ng
