Police Begin Statewide Offensive After Deadly Kebbi Attacks, Recover Rifles

The Kebbi State Police Command has initiated an aggressive statewide offensive against banditry and kidnapping in response to recent violent attacks that claimed lives in several local government areas. The operation, which began on Thursday, April 9, 2026, has already yielded significant results, including the recovery of AK-47 rifles and several rounds of live ammunition.

The Commissioner of Police for Kebbi State stated that the tactical teams, supported by local vigilantes, have been deployed to identified "black spots" and forest fringes known to be used as transit points by armed gangs. During a raid on a makeshift camp in the early hours of Friday, security forces engaged suspects in a gun duel, forcing them to flee and abandon their cache of weapons.

"We are moving from a reactive to a proactive stance," the Commissioner declared. "The recent loss of lives was a tragedy we do not intend to see repeated. This offensive will continue until we have sanitized our forests and ensured that farmers can return to their lands without fear of abduction or harm."

The state government has expressed its full support for the police action, urging residents to cooperate by providing timely information on any suspicious individuals seeking medical treatment for gunshot wounds. This renewed military-police synergy is part of a broader regional strategy to prevent the spillover of criminal activities from neighboring states. As of Friday afternoon, patrols have been intensified along the Kebbi-Zamfara and Kebbi-Niger borders to intercept fleeing bandits and restore permanent peace to the troubled agrarian communities.