Nineteen hunters on a routine patrol were killed in an ambush by armed bandits in Bauchi State, prompting Governor Bala Mohammed to assure residents that the attackers would be brought to justice.
The victims, drawn from Duguri and Gwana districts, were carrying out surveillance duties near the forested areas of Duguri Mansur and Dajin Madam when they encountered the gunmen.
The assailants reportedly opened fire as the hunters tried to retreat through Mansur village in Alkaleri LGA.
Governor Mohammed, through a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mukhtar Gidado, decried the attack as a brutal attempt to undermine public safety and disrupt the state’s relative calm.
He expressed sympathy to the victims’ families and honoured the fallen hunters for their sacrifice in defending their communities from violent threats.
“This cowardly act is yet another reminder of the challenges we face in securing our state,” the statement read.
“We will leave no stone unturned in ensuring those behind this atrocity are held accountable.”
The governor urged citizens to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity, emphasizing that community support remains critical in the fight against insecurity.
In response to the ambush, military and police units launched a coordinated manhunt in the area, working to prevent further attacks and track down those involved.
This attack follows another violent ambush in Zamfara State just weeks earlier, where ten local security operatives lost their lives to a similar assault by suspected bandits.
