At least six suspected bandits were killed on Tuesday after a coordinated security operation foiled an attack on Kanoma Town and Gidan Daji Village in Kanoma District of Maru Local Government Area, Zamfara State.
The attackers, who reportedly stormed the communities around 11 a.m., were said to be heavily armed with rocket-propelled grenades, general-purpose machine guns, anti-aircraft weapons and AK-47 rifles.
The Zamfara State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, by its spokesperson, Yazid Abubakar.
He said the response involved a joint deployment of police tactical units from Maru Division, personnel of Operation Fansar Yamma, operatives of the Violence Crime Response Unit and local vigilantes, who moved in after a distress call.
According to him, the operatives engaged the assailants in a gun battle, forcing them to withdraw before they could carry out the attack.
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Six of the attackers, who were riding on two motorcycles, were neutralized during the encounter.
He added that several other suspects escaped into nearby forests with gunshot injuries, while no casualties were recorded among security personnel or residents.
Abubakar said security has been strengthened in the area, with ongoing patrols aimed at restoring calm, protecting communities and tracking fleeing suspects.
He also urged residents to continue cooperating with security agencies by providing timely and credible intelligence to support ongoing operations.
The incident followed another security operation less than 24 hours earlier in which a separate bandit attack was reportedly repelled along the Gadar Manya axis in Anka Local Government Area after a prolonged gun battle.