Bandits shoot retired general heading Zamfara local security unit

Bandits on Sunday attacked motorists at Kucheri village in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, injuring General Lawal B. Muhammad (rtd), the Director General of the Zamfara State Community Protection Guards (CPG), and abducting several passengers.

The attack occurred along the busy Funtua-Tsafe road when bandits blocked the highway late in the evening, targeting passing motorists, including General Muhammad.

The retired general was shot during the incident and is currently receiving treatment at Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau, the state capital.

A source from the Zamfara State Ministry of Internal Security confirmed the attack but requested anonymity.

This incident follows days after bandits killed eight CPG personnel and a commercial driver in Tsafe Local Government Area.

The bandits have intensified attacks in the region despite government efforts to curb their activities.

General Muhammad, reflecting on the violence, had recently stationed 105 CPG personnel in Tsafe to protect travelers, but the bandits launched a surprise ambush, killing some of the guards.

Zamfara remains one of the most affected states by banditry in Nigeria’s northwest, with ongoing efforts to combat these criminal groups proving challenging.