The Sokoto State Police Command has announced the neutralisation of a suspected armed bandit and the recovery of an AK-47 rifle with live ammunition following a foiled attack on Daraye Village in Wamako Local Government Area.

According to the Command, the operation was carried out in the early hours of Saturday after security operatives responded to a distress call reporting that a large number of heavily armed bandits had invaded the community.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufa’I, the Command said the distress call was received at about 1:35 a.m. on July 4, prompting the immediate deployment of operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, the Village Crime Reduction Unit (VCRU), and other tactical teams to reinforce officers at the Wamakko Divisional Headquarters.

The statement noted that the operatives engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle, forcing them to abandon the operation and flee into the forest with varying degrees of gunshot injuries.

“Upon arrival, the team aggressively engaged the assailants in a fierce and prolonged gun duel. Demonstrating superior tactical proficiency, the operatives successfully overpowered the bandits, forcing them to abandon their mission and retreat in disarray into the forest, with several bullet wounds,” the statement partly read.

The police said a subsequent combing of the surrounding bushes led to the neutralisation of one suspected bandit.

Items recovered from the suspect included one AK-47 rifle and one magazine loaded with 28 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.

The Command disclosed that confidence-building patrols have since been intensified in the area to reassure residents and prevent any further attacks, while neighbouring divisional police headquarters have been placed on high alert to intercept fleeing suspects seeking medical treatment.

Commenting on the operation, the Commissioner of Police in Sokoto State, CP Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, commended the officers for their courage and professionalism.

“The gallantry displayed by our officers is highly commendable. The Command remains unwavering in its commitment to eradicating banditry and ensuring the safety of lives and property across Sokoto State,” the commissioner said.

He assured residents that the police, in collaboration with other security agencies, would continue sustained operations against criminal elements until lasting peace is restored across the state. (Sunday PUNCH)

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