By Samuel Ike, Abuja

The Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed the deaths of 10 police officers following a fierce gun battle with suspected bandits at Makuku village in the Zuru Emirate, along the Kebbi–Zamfara border.

The command also disclosed that 17 bandits were killed during the encounter, while several others escaped with varying degrees of injuries.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday. He said the armed criminals had invaded the community with plans to attack residents and carry out abductions before security operatives intervened.

According to Usman, mobile police personnel deployed to the area acted on credible intelligence and engaged the attackers in a fierce exchange of gunfire, leading to significant casualties on both sides.

“There was a gun battle between our operatives and the bandits at Makuku village. Sadly, we lost 10 officers in the line of duty, while more than 17 bandits were neutralised during the operation,” the police spokesman said.

He added that several police officers who sustained injuries in the confrontation were receiving treatment at a medical facility, while efforts were ongoing to track down the fleeing bandits.

The command paid tribute to the slain officers for their courage and sacrifice, assuring that their deaths would not be in vain. It also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property across the state and sustaining operations against banditry and other forms of criminality.