SP Kazeem Raheem, the DPO for the Maru Division in the Zamfara State, was killed on Sunday, according to the Zamfara Police command.
Rabi’u Umar, a Police Inspector who was part of the division, was also killed.
SP Muhammad Shehu, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state, said in a statement on Sunday in Gusau that the deaths were true.
“On 5th March 2023 at about 0200hrs, bandits in large numbers, armed with sophisticated weapons, attacked Maru Divisional Police Headquarters in Maru LGA with intent to destabilise the security architecture of the town in order to easily attack and abduct members of the community.
“However, the DPO and his team gallantly put up a strong resistance to repel the attackers.
“Unfortunately, the DPO and the above-named inspector lost their lives while protecting the public”, the PPRO said.
Mr Kolo Yusuf, Commissioner of Police for the Zamfara Command, told the people there that the command will always do its best to protect lives and property.
According to the statement, the police commander sent more officers after the fleeing criminals in order to catch them and bring them to justice.
Shehu said that DCP Iliyasu Kwarbai, the command’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), led another police tactical team to the scene for an assessment and patrol to build trust.