Ten policemen and two civilians were killed while 17 suspected bandits were neutralised during a gun battle between security operatives and the armed group in Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

PUNCH Metro learnt on Tuesday that the incident occurred at about 9:25am on Monday along the Rafin Makuku axis, where security personnel intercepted the suspected bandits moving between Zamfara and Kebbi States.

The state police command said at least 17 suspected bandits were neutralised during the encounter, while four motorcycles belonging to the attackers were also burnt.

The statement was made available to our correspondent on Tuesday by the spokesperson of the Kebbi State Police Command, Bashir Usman.

Usman said the security personnel engaged the attackers in a gun battle, adding that the casualty figure on the side of the bandits remained subject to further verification.

“Several of the attackers were neutralised, with at least 17 suspected bandits so far assessed to have been neutralised,” he said.

He added that “four motorcycles belonging to the attackers were also burnt during the encounter.”

According to him, the security forces suffered significant casualties, with 10 police personnel killed and two others injured and currently receiving medical attention.

“We lost ten gallant Police personnel in the engagement, while two others sustained injuries and are receiving medical attention,” Usman said.

He described the fallen officers as brave personnel who paid the ultimate price in the line of duty.

“Our fallen personnel fought with exceptional courage and professionalism in the line of duty, making the ultimate sacrifice in defence of the people and the State.

“Their bravery, service and sacrifice will be duly honoured and will not be forgotten,” he said.

Two civilians were also killed during the encounter, according to the police.

The command said its immediate priority was to support the families of the deceased officers, care for the wounded and continue follow-up operations against fleeing members of the bandit group.

“Our immediate priority remains supporting the affected families, caring for the wounded and sustaining follow-up operations against fleeing elements,” Usman said.

He assured the public that further details would be made available when the situation was fully assessed.

“Further details will be communicated as they are verified,” he added.

Similarly, the Nigeria Police Force also confirmed the death of 10 police personnel during an encounter with a heavily armed group of suspected bandits.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, expressed deep grief over the loss of the officers, describing their deaths as “a painful loss to the Force and the nation.”

Disu said the fallen officers “paid the ultimate price while defending the people they swore to protect,” adding that their sacrifice would not be forgotten.

He extended his condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased officers and assured them that the Nigeria Police Force would continue to honour their memory and provide necessary support to the bereaved families and injured personnel.

The police said the remains of the fallen officers had been conveyed to Birnin Kebbi, while the affected area had been brought under control.

It added that additional security personnel had been deployed to the area to reinforce ongoing operations and pursue fleeing members of the criminal group.

“The Nigeria Police Force remains deeply mindful of the pain and loss suffered by the families of the fallen officers,” the statement said, stressing that the Force would sustain efforts to bring the fleeing suspects to justice.

The Nigerian Air Force has said its airstrike in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno State killed nine Islamic State West Africa Province fighters, including a key commander responsible for facilitating the movement and protection of senior members of the group.

The NAF said the operation was conducted on Saturday, August 8, 2026, following credible intelligence on the activities and movement of suspected terrorists within the forest.

The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.

According to him, a Remotely Piloted Aircraft was deployed to conduct persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance operations, leading to the identification and tracking of a group of terrorists moving towards a suspected hideout.

He said following positive identification and confirmation of the target, the aircraft carried out a precision strike on the location.

“The successful operation, conducted on Saturday, 8 August 2026, followed credible intelligence on the activities and movement of suspected terrorists within the Sambisa Forest area. Acting on the intelligence, the NAF deployed a Remotely Piloted Aircraft to conduct persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, enabling the identification and tracking of a group of terrorists as they moved towards a suspected hideout.

“Following positive identification and confirmation of the target, the NAF aircraft conducted a precision engagement on the location. Subsequent battle damage assessment indicated significant effects on the targeted compound, with several terrorists neutralised,” Ejodame said.

He added that further intelligence received after the strike confirmed that nine ISWAP fighters were killed, while several others were wounded.

Among those reportedly killed was Abu Khalid Al Muhajir, whom the NAF described as a prominent ISWAP commander responsible for providing special security escorts for the movement of senior members of the terrorist group.

The statement said his reported knowledge of routes, terrain and tactical movements linking major terrorist enclaves within the Sambisa Forest and surrounding areas made his death a significant operational setback for ISWAP.

The NAF further said intelligence indicated that some of the terrorists affected by the strike were linked to elements suspected to have participated in the recent ambush of Nigerian troops along the Bita-Yamtage axis in Gwoza Local Government Area of the state.

It said the latest operation demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-led air operations, particularly the integration of persistent surveillance with precision strike capabilities.

According to the NAF, the operation is expected to disrupt ISWAP’s leadership protection arrangements, movement of high-value personnel and coordination of activities across its enclaves.

The service said it would continue to conduct intelligence-driven and precision air operations in coordination with surface forces to degrade terrorist capabilities, restrict their freedom of movement and improve security for communities in the North-East.

Source: punchng.com

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A young man identified simply as Azeez has been beaten to death by suspected cultists following a dispute over a missing phone at Oko-Oba in the Agege area of Lagos State.

A police source told PUNCH Metro on Sunday that the incident occurred on Monday, August 3.

According to the source, Azeez was involved in an argument with some of his colleagues over a missing phone after they attended a party.

The source said the argument later degenerated into an assault on Azeez by some of the suspected cultists, said to be his friends.

“We got a report that he passed away as a result of an assault on him by some suspected cultists said to be his friends. The argument was as a result of a missing phone,” the source said.

The source added that Azeez later succumbed to injuries sustained during the assault.

Meanwhile, an anti-cultism advocacy platform, Naija Confra, in a post on Saturday, gave further details of the incident, saying it began on Sunday night, August 2, during a birthday celebration.

According to the platform, a fight broke out at the event, during which one Abela allegedly took a phone and handed it to Azeez.

The platform said trouble started after the owner of the phone began searching for it.

It alleged that when the owner and his friends confronted Azeez after the phone was found in his possession, he told them that Abela had given him the phone to keep.

“Abela, who was sitting there, denied Azeez, even when people saw him. Azeez would never accuse Abela, an NBM leader who is also a boss to him, if it was not true,” the platform claimed.

Naija Confra further alleged that the owner of the phone and his friends, unable to confront Abela, attacked Azeez before leaving the party.

The platform added that Azeez later confronted Abela over his alleged denial of giving him the phone, leading to another argument and subsequent assault.

It alleged that Azeez was taken to another location by suspected members of the Neo-Black Movement, where the attack was carried out on him.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, could not be reached for comments as calls made to her telephone lines were not responded to.

A text message sent to her had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed.

Source: punchng.com

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