Zamfara LG Chairman Abducted as Bandits Kill Four Security Personnel During Bungudu Attack

The Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area in Zamfara State, Hon. Nura Umar Bungudu, has been abducted by armed bandits following a deadly attack on his residence that claimed the lives of four security personnel.

The incident occurred on Friday night, when heavily armed assailants reportedly stormed the chairman’s home in Bungudu town. During the attack, the gunmen engaged security operatives in a fierce exchange of gunfire before overpowering them.

According to reports, two police officers and two members of the local vigilante group assigned to protect the chairman were killed while attempting to repel the attackers. The bandits initially abducted the council chairman alongside his wife and children before taking them into the nearby forest. However, the family was later released, while the chairman remained in captivity.

A family member, Anas Ibrahim, disclosed that the kidnappers gave the chairman a difficult choice between securing his own freedom or that of his family.

According to Ibrahim, Hon. Nura Umar Bungudu chose to remain in captivity so that his wife and children could regain their freedom. The family has since returned home safely and is awaiting further communication from the abductors.

The family also expressed frustration over what it described as the delayed response from security agencies during the attack. Ibrahim alleged that despite repeated distress calls and public appeals for assistance, the attackers operated at the chairman’s residence for more than an hour without intervention from additional security forces, apart from those already stationed at the property.

He maintained that a quicker security response could have prevented the abduction, noting that the attackers were not overwhelming in number and could have been intercepted before escaping.

Another resident of Bungudu, Abdullahi Na Allah, said the gunmen moved directly to the chairman’s residence upon entering the town. He explained that security personnel attached to the chairman fought bravely to resist the attackers but were eventually outnumbered.

According to him, the bandits succeeded in taking the chairman, his wife, and children into the forest before later releasing the family members and retaining the council chairman in captivity.

The latest incident highlights the persistent insecurity affecting several communities in Zamfara State, where attacks by armed groups, kidnappings, and violent assaults continue to pose serious challenges despite ongoing security operations.

As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had not issued an official statement regarding the abduction or any rescue efforts underway to secure the release of the local government chairman.

The attack has once again raised concerns over the worsening security situation in parts of northwestern Nigeria and renewed calls for stronger measures to protect public officials and residents from recurring bandit attacks.