Bandits Kill Zamfara LG Director, Councillor, Abduct Others

Bandits have killed the Director of Planning in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Jamilu Sani, and the councillor representing Jangebe Ward, following an attack along the Jangebe to Talata Mafara road.

The victims were reportedly abducted on May 18, 2026, while travelling from Jangebe to the Talata Mafara Local Government headquarters.

They were said to have been travelling with the Area Revenue Officer for Pilgrims Affairs in the local government area to make preparations for the pilgrimage exercise when the attackers struck.

Naija News reports that the Chairman of Talata Mafara Local Government Area, Hon. Yahaya Yari, confirmed the incident, describing it as tragic and unfortunate.

Yari said the council made several efforts to secure the release of the abducted officials, but the bandits allegedly refused to negotiate for ransom.

According to him, the attackers insisted that anyone abducted from Jangebe community would be killed.

“The bandits informed us that anyone abducted from Jangebe community would be killed. They made it clear that they were not interested in collecting ransom,” Daily Trust quoted Yari as saying.

The council chairman said the development had thrown the local government area into mourning, especially among residents of Jangebe and staff of the council who knew the victims.

Five Persons Ambushed On Road

A resident of Jangebe and close associate of the victims, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said five people were in the vehicle of the Area Revenue Officer, Sama’ila Ladan, when they were ambushed.

According to the source, the victims were travelling to Talata Mafara when the bandits intercepted them at a known danger spot on the road.

“The bandits intercepted them at a notorious flashpoint on their way to Mafara. They killed the village head instantly after he resisted being taken away,” the source said.

The source added that the attackers also shot the Area Revenue Officer in the hand.

“They also shot the Area Revenue Officer in the hand and apparently assumed he was dead. The attackers then abducted the Director of Planning, Jamilu Sani, while two other occupants of the vehicle escaped into nearby bushes,” the source added.

The source expressed concern over the worsening security situation in Jangebe and neighbouring communities, saying residents now live in fear because of repeated attacks on roads and villages.

He said travelling outside Jangebe had become dangerous, especially for residents moving towards Talata Mafara and other parts of the state.

“The security situation in our area continues to deteriorate. Once you travel about three kilometres outside Jangebe, you are largely on your own.

“Our only relatively safe route is the Mayanchi-Anka-Gummi road, but even that has now become a dangerous corridor,” he lamented.

The resident appealed to security agencies and the Zamfara State Government to increase patrols and restore confidence among communities affected by banditry.

The spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, DSP Yazid Abubakar, also confirmed the incident.

The latest attack adds to growing concerns over insecurity in parts of Zamfara State, where bandits have continued to attack communities, abduct residents and disrupt movement along major roads.

Residents of the affected area have called for urgent security intervention to prevent further attacks and protect travellers using the Jangebe to Talata Mafara route.