Fear After Deadly Police Patrol Attack
Three police officers were killed on Tuesday when suspected bandits ambushed a patrol team on the Guga–Bakori road in Katsina State, deepening concerns over renewed violence in the area. Two other officers were injured in the attack.
The incident happened around 12:44 pm while officers attached to the Mobile Police unit were carrying out a routine anti crime patrol. Gunmen reportedly blocked the patrol vehicle, forced it off the road and opened fire along a stretch near Layin Yannehu, several kilometres outside Guga.
A resident of Bakori, Usman Ibrahim, said three officers died at the scene while two others were rushed to Bakori General Hospital for treatment.
He added that the patrol vehicle was badly damaged and overturned during the assault, raising fresh alarm about insecurity along the Bakori–Kankara axis.
According to Ibrahim, the Bakori Divisional Police Officer, SP Adamu Hamza, and operatives of the Department of State Services responded quickly but arrived after the officers had already suffered fatal injuries.
The Katsina State Police Command later confirmed the attack. Police spokesman DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu said the officers fought back and pushed the attackers away.
“On 27th January, 2026, at about 1244 hrs, a team of policemen on routine anti-crime patrol along Guga-Bakori were ambushed by some suspected armed hoodlums shooting sporadically.
The officers responded bravely, repelling the attack. Unfortunately, three officers paid the supreme price during the encounter, while two officers sustained injuries.”
Police said investigations have begun to track down those behind the attack. The incident comes despite a recent peace effort in parts of Katsina State, which had earlier led to a drop in killings, abductions and armed attacks.
