Joint Forces Rescue INEC Worker, Recover Rustled Cattle After Zamfara Attack

(INEC Worker Rescued. Photo by Daily Post)

A joint security operation involving the Zamfara State Police Command and military personnel has rescued a kidn@pped staff member of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Aliyu Mohammed.

In a post on social media, security expert Zagazola Makama said security operatives thwarted coordinated b@ndit att@cks and recovered hundreds of rustled cattle following separate operations in Gummi, Talata Mafara and Gusau LGAs of Zamfara State.

Zagazola explained that the operations followed a series of coordinated att@cks launched by heavily armed b@ndits across the affected communities.

According to him, at about 3:30pm on July 7, a large group of armed b@ndits riding on about 50 motorcycles stormed villages in the Ruwan Bore District of Talata Mafara Local Government Area, rustling hundreds of cattle during the att@ck.

The security expert noted that a woman sustained a gunshot injury from a stray bullet and was evacuated to the General Hospital in Talata Mafara, where she is receiving treatment.

The kidn@pped INEC staff member was said to have been on official assignment with the National Examinations Council (NECO).

He had reportedly transported examination scripts collected from secondary schools in Gummi to Sokoto before being intercepted and kidn@pped along the Gummi–Sokoto Road.

Police operatives from Gummi Division responded promptly, recovered the abandoned vehicle and secured the examination scripts, which were subsequently handed over to the Principal of Government Unity Secondary School, Gummi, Mr Ashiru Umar, for onward transmission to the appropriate NECO office in Sokoto.

"The combined security team engaged the b@ndits in a fierce gun battle that began at about 2:45am on July 8.

The superior firepower of the joint force overwhelmed the b@ndits, forcing them to flee into the forest with significant casualties, while several escaped with gunshot wounds.

During the operation, the kidn@pped INEC official and another abd£cted victim were rescued unhurt.

Security operatives also recovered hundreds of rustled cattle, which were subsequently returned to their rightful owners," Zagazola said.