Ten police officers and two civilians were killed on Monday when security operatives engaged a heavily armed group of suspected bandits along the Rafin Makuku axis of Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
Two other police officers were injured in the encounter, while at least 17 suspected bandits were reportedly neutralised, according to the Kebbi State Police Command.
The confrontation occurred at about 9:25 a.m. after police operatives intercepted the armed group, which was reportedly moving between Zamfara and Kebbi states.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Kebbi State, Bashir Usman, confirmed the incident, saying the operation resulted in significant casualties on both sides.
“Several of the attackers were neutralised, with at least 17 suspected bandits so far assessed to have been neutralised,” Usman said.
He disclosed that four motorcycles belonging to the suspected bandits were also destroyed during the encounter.
However, the police spokesman cautioned that the casualty figures remained subject to further verification as security authorities continued to assess the situation.
“Tragically, we lost 10 gallant police personnel in the engagement, while two others sustained injuries and are receiving medical attention. Two civilians also lost their lives during the encounter,” he said.
The police command said it was supporting the families of the deceased officers, providing medical care for the injured personnel and sustaining operations against members of the armed group who fled following the confrontation.
Usman said further details would be released as authorities completed their assessment of the incident.
The clash followed reports of the movement of a large group of armed men from neighbouring Zamfara State towards communities in Kebbi.
Reports said the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA conducted airstrikes against an armed group detected moving from the Sangeko Gap area of Zamfara towards the Makuku axis of Kebbi.
The exact number of fighters involved in the movement has not been independently established.
Some reports had put the size of the group at more than 200 armed men travelling on motorcycles, but security authorities had not publicly confirmed that figure as of the time of reporting.
The reported air operation was said to have followed intelligence indicating the movement of the armed group along the inter-state corridor.
It was not immediately clear whether the reported airstrikes occurred before or after the ground confrontation in which the 10 police officers and two civilians were killed.
Separately, SaharaReporters reported that it obtained a police situation report concerning the Rafin Makuku incident.
The report was said to identify the 10 deceased officers as personnel of the 44 Police Mobile Force, Abuja, who were deployed to the area on special duty.
The publication also reported that police weapons and ammunition were taken during the confrontation.
However, the reported situation report has not been independently obtained, while the Kebbi State Police Command has not confirmed the alleged loss of weapons and ammunition.
The command also did not immediately release the identities of the officers killed in the encounter.
Following the confrontation, the police said operations were continuing against members of the armed group who escaped from the area.
The incident has further highlighted the security challenges along the Kebbi-Zamfara border corridor, where armed groups have repeatedly moved across state boundaries.
The police command said it remained committed to pursuing the fleeing suspects while providing support to the families of personnel killed in the line of duty and ensuring that the injured officers receive necessary medical attention.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, has also expressed grief over the deaths of the 10 personnel and commended officers involved in the engagement, according to reports from the Nigeria Police Force.
