The Sokoto State Police Command has foiled an attempted bandit attack on Bodinga Village in Bodinga Local Government Area, neutralising three suspected bandits and recovering an AK-47 rifle with ammunition.
The Command disclosed this in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufai, saying the operation was carried out by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) and the Anti-Kidnapping Unit.
According to him, the operatives responded swiftly to a distress call received at about 11:00 p.m. on June 10, reporting that a large number of armed bandits wielding sophisticated weapons had launched an attack on the village.
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The Police said a joint security team was immediately mobilised to the scene, where officers engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle.
“The superior firepower and tactical advantage of the security forces overwhelmed the bandits, forcing them to retreat into the nearby forest with gunshot wounds.
“Following the exchange of fire, security operatives conducted a thorough search of the surrounding bushes and recovered the bodies of three suspected bandits believed to have been neutralised during the operation.
“Items recovered from the suspects included one AK-47 rifle and a magazine loaded with 25 rounds of live ammunition,” DSP Rufai revealed.
The Command further explained that no civilian or security personnel casualties were recorded during the operation.
The Commissioner of Police in Sokoto State, CP Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, urged residents of Bodinga and surrounding communities to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious individuals, particularly persons with gunshot wounds, to the nearest security post.
CP Shaffa reaffirmed police commitment to combating banditry and other violent crimes across the state, in line with the directives of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, aimed at enhancing security and protecting lives and property.
