Five Police Officers Killed as Bandits Attack Convoy on Sokoto-Gusau Highway

Five police officers have been killed after suspected bandits ambushed a police convoy travelling from Sokoto State to Zamfara State for a special security assignment.

The attack, which occurred along the Sokoto-Gusau Highway, was confirmed by the police authorities in Sokoto.

The spokesperson for the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 10, Sokoto, DSP Abdullahi Faruk, disclosed that the bodies of the five officers had been deposited at the morgue of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto.

Faruk confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Monday, adding that further details would be made available later.

The officers were reportedly travelling in a convoy when armed assailants launched an ambush, killing five members of the team.

Videos shared on social media following the incident showed the bodies of some of the slain officers inside a vehicle. Their hands and legs appeared to have been tied with ropes.

The footage also showed bloodstains inside the vehicle and personal belongings scattered around the scene.

The circumstances surrounding the attack, including whether other personnel sustained injuries or escaped, remained unclear as of the time of filing this report.

The incident adds to the growing concerns over attacks by armed groups in Nigeria’s North-West, particularly in Sokoto and Zamfara states, where security personnel, motorists and rural communities have continued to face deadly assaults and abductions.

The police spokesperson promised to provide additional information as investigations into the incident continue.