Gunmen suspected to be armed bandits have killed an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Samaila Sule, alongside five villagers during a deadly attack on Farin Ruwa community in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The attack, which occurred on January 5, saw heavily armed assailants storm the rural settlement, overwhelming security personnel stationed in the area and unleashing violence on residents. Community sources described the invasion as fierce and well-coordinated, leaving the village in shock and mourning.

According to villagers, the lifeless body of ASP Samaila Sule was later recovered at the scene of the attack, confirming that the senior police officer was killed in the line of duty. The corpses of five other residents were also discovered after the gunmen withdrew from the area.

Residents further disclosed that several villagers were abducted during the raid and taken to an unknown destination, deepening fears over their safety amid the persistent insecurity in the state.

“During the attack, the gunmen seized the late officer’s AK-47 rifle and about 30 rounds of live ammunition,” a community source said, expressing concern over the continued strengthening of bandit groups through looted weapons.

The latest incident comes against the backdrop of recurring attacks across Zamfara. In October 2025, at least 73 residents of Buzugu and Rayau villages in Bukkuyum Local Government Area were abducted during coordinated midnight raids by armed bandits.

A security alert by counterinsurgency publication Zagazola Makama revealed that the October abductions occurred around 2:45 a.m. on October 18, when large numbers of gunmen wielding sophisticated weapons invaded the two communities and whisked away scores of residents before security forces could respond.

Despite assurances by security agencies and ongoing military operations, Zamfara State remains a major flashpoint of banditry in North-West Nigeria, with rural communities continuing to bear the brunt of killings, mass abductions and displacement. The latest attack has renewed calls for more robust and sustained security measures to protect vulnerable communities and restore confidence in the region.