Vigilante Killed, Four Bandits Neutralised in Bauchi Ambush -

Bauchi State Commissioner Of Police Sani-Omolori Aliyu

Bandits Kill Vigilante Member in Ambush at Yankari Game Reserve
A member of a local vigilante group, Hambali Sa’adu, has been killed following an ambush by armed bandits at Yankari Game Reserve in Bauchi State.

The incident occurred on Sunday at about 1:30 p.m. along the Bakin Layi axis of the reserve, when a joint patrol team comprising police officers and vigilante members came under heavy gunfire.

This was confirmed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Bauchi State Command, Nafiu Abubakar.

According to the statement, the patrol team, attached to the Mai-Ari Outpost, was on a routine operation when the attackers, who had laid in wait, launched a sudden assault.

During the exchange, Sa’adu, a 27-year-old vigilante member from Mai-Ari Village in Maimadi Ward, sustained fatal gunshot injuries. He was later confirmed dead by a medical doctor and buried in line with Islamic rites.

Despite the loss, the joint security team reportedly regrouped and pursued the fleeing assailants, engaging them in a fierce gun battle. The police said four of the bandits were neutralised during the encounter, while others escaped with suspected gunshot wounds.

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The operation also led to the arrest of four suspects, who are currently in custody as investigations continue to determine their involvement and to track down other members of the criminal network.

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and the Mai-Ari community, describing the late vigilante as a brave patriot who died defending his people.

He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to combating banditry and other violent crimes, adding that intensified bush-combing operations have been ordered in and around the Yankari Game Reserve and adjoining forests to apprehend fleeing suspects and recover illegal weapons.

The police also commended the continued collaboration between security agencies and local vigilante groups, urging residents, especially in rural communities, to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities promptly.

This incident adds to a growing pattern of attacks on security operatives in Bauchi State. In November 2025, five police officers were reportedly killed in a similar ambush in Sabon Sara Village, Darazo Local Government Area.