Muhammad Mustapha, head of Zone 10 Police Command in Sokoto, has vowed to hunt down the killers of a police DPO in Tangaza Local Government Area.  

Mr. Mustapha, who oversees Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara, stated this when he led a delegation of senior police officers to condole with the family of the deceased officer, Aliyu Abubakar. Mr. Abubakar was shot dead by suspected bandits on September 18. A police inspector was also shot dead during the attack.

“The deceased was a seasoned police officer who was truly professional,” Mr. Mustapha said. “The impact of the loss is felt by the force and it shall not be left unaddressed.”

Mr. Abubakar’s murder underscored the worsening security crisis in Nigeria’s northwest, where bandits and other violent criminals have been on rampage for years unchecked.

Thousands of residents have been displaced across the three states since 2016, with the UN warning of humanitarian disaster if the attacks are not curbed by the Nigerian government.

The Nigerian military has responded by ordering massive personnel deployment across the area, and the Air Force has confirmed conducting regular aerial bombardment of bandit hideouts in surrounding forests.

(NAN)