BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – Armed bandits on Saturday, May 3, 2025, launched attacks on some communities in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State, killing a number of people, injuring many and carted away domestic animals.
The villages attacked are in Gwana District of Alkaleri LGA of the State as reports from the area indicated that the villages attacked included Mansur, Digare, Sabuwar Sara and Yalo.
The Police command in Bauchi State said that the attack was carried out in the late hours of Saturday during which about 15 persons were killed while several others were seriously injured.
It was gathered that most of the victims were members of the local vigilante groups from Gwana and Duguri Districts who were operating jointly in the areas to safeguard the people who were under constant attacks by the bandits operating in the forests sharing boundaries with Gombe, Plateau and Taraba States.
The Commissioner of Police for Bauchi State, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu visited the scene of the crime and conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the situation following which he ordered the deployment of tactical teams to the affected villages.
While in Alkaleri, CP Aliyu also engaged with relevant stakeholders and urged citizens to remain calm, vigilant and support the Police to continue to provide security.
A statement on Monday by CSP Ahmed Wakili, Public Relations Officer of the Bauchi State Police command, stated that the Commissioner of Police strongly condemned the killings, expressing deep sorrow over the tragic loss of lives.
The Police boss described the acts as “utterly reprehensible and a significant threat to the peace and security of the state and assured the are in Full-Scale to bring the perpetrators to book”.
According to CSP Wakili; “On 4th May 2025, at about 09:40 hours, the Command received a report from Alkaleri Divisional Police Headquarters regarding an incident that occurred earlier that same day at about 05:40 hours.”
“A combined team of professional hunters from Duguri and Gwana District, while on a routine patrol along Duguri, Mansur, and the Dajin Madam forest bordering Bauchi and Plateau State, encountered an ambush by armed bandits.
“This confrontation resulted in numerous casualties on both sides, including members of the vigilante group and the bandits themselves.
“Upon receiving the report, a team of operational tactical teams was dispatched to the scene, where they recovered bodies of casualties. Preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased included both quasi-security operatives and civilians from Sabuwar Sara village, who were mercilessly shot by the bandits while attempting to flee from the attack,” the Bauchi Police command said.
The police command said that a specialised team has been mandated to intensify efforts to apprehend those responsible for the heinous act and individuals found to be connected.
