Relatives say gunmen killed four people, shot the chairman’s elder brother and escaped with several captives after operating unchallenged for nearly two hours.
Several days after the abduction of the Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Hon. Nura Umar Abdullahi, his whereabouts remain unknown, with no official update on efforts to secure his release.
Amid growing anxiety over his fate, family members and survivors of the attack have revealed chilling details of the night heavily armed bandits stormed his residence, killing four people and abducting the council chairman along with several others after laying siege to the area for nearly two hours.
One of the survivors, Abdulssalam Yunusa Mai Jama’a, popularly known as Abbati and a brother-in-law to the chairman, said the attackers appeared to have carried out the operation with precise intelligence about the chairman’s movements.
According to him, the gunmen burst into his room while he was asleep and immediately demanded to know where the chairman was.
He said the attackers claimed they knew the chairman had arrived with three people—himself, his elder brother and the chairman’s son, Abba—convincing him they had prior knowledge of events inside the residence.
Bandits Overpowered Security, Held Residence Under Siege
Yunusa estimated that about 20 heavily armed bandits took part in the operation, which began between 10:40 p.m. and 10:50 p.m.
He said the attackers initially tried to force open three entrances leading to the chairman’s apartment but failed before changing tactics.
According to him, those still in captivity include Malam Halliru Ahmad Soja, Husseini Naira, Dan Tandu and Akilu, a domestic worker at the chairman’s residence.
Family Alleges Delayed Security Response
The survivor expressed disappointment over what he described as the slow response of security agencies despite distress calls made during the attack.
Another family member, Anas Ibrahim, popularly known as Dealer, described the incident as one of the worst security breaches Bungudu town has ever witnessed.
Chairman’s Brother Shot While Attempting Rescue
Anas further disclosed that the attackers strategically deployed armed men around neighbouring houses to prevent anyone from intervening.
He said the chairman’s elder brother, Alhaji Bello, a former Zamfara State auditor, sustained three gunshot wounds after attempting to assist his younger brother.
Wife Recalls Return Home
The chairman’s wife, Balira, said some of those initially taken away were later released and directed back towards Bungudu town.
Four Killed During Attack
Family members confirmed that four people lost their lives during the raid. The victims included two police officers attached to the council chairman, a vigilante identified as Nura ADC and a water vendor popularly known as Ba’are, who was caught in the violence.