At least five police officers have lost their lives following a sudden tactical ambush by suspected armed bandits along the Sokoto-Gusau highway, security sources confirmed on Monday.
The deceased officers were travelling in a three-vehicle convoy from Sokoto State to neighbouring Zamfara State for a special security deployment when the armed gang intercepted the team.
A police operative who was part of the convoy but managed to survive the assault revealed under condition of anonymity that the gunmen ambushed the officers by launching a targeted attack on the rear escort. The attackers reportedly opened heavy fire without warning on the third vehicle bringing up the rear of the column, killing five officers instantly.
Separate operational sources disclosed that the personnel were deployed to provide tactical security coverage for political activities in the region, including the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the Zamfara North Senatorial District in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area.
Graphic video footage circulating across social media platforms following the attack captured the scene of the ambush, showing the lifeless bodies of the officers inside a bloodstained vehicle, with their hands and legs tied with ropes and personal belongings strewn around the site.
Police spokesperson ASP Abdullahi Faruk confirmed the casualty count, stating that the remains of the five officers have been recovered and deposited at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) morgue in Sokoto as joint military and security forces intensify clearance operations along the corridor.
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