The attention of the Zamfara State Police Command has been drawn to a recent report attributed to SBM Intelligence, which stated that Zamfara State recorded 236 kidnapping incidents involving 1,921 victims between July 2025 and June 2026, while further indicating that only four anti-kidnapping operations were conducted by security forces in the State during the period under review.
In a statement signed by the command public relations officer DSP Yazid Abubakar said the Zamfara State Police Command acknowledges the seriousness of kidnapping, banditry and other security challenges confronting the State. However, the Command wishes to clarify that the figure of four anti-kidnapping operations does not accurately represent the scale of security operations conducted by the Command, either independently or in collaboration with other security agencies, during the period under review.
The statement said available operational records indicate that the Command conducted 45 major anti-banditry and anti-kidnapping operations across various parts of Zamfara State within the period under review. These operations were carried out through sustained and coordinated efforts involving Police Tactical Operatives, the Violence Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Police Anti Bomb squad ,the Military, Community Protection Guards (CPG), Civilian JTF and other sister security agencies.
According to the statement,the sustained operations yielded significant operational successes, including the neutralisation of more than 600 armed bandits, while several others escaped with gunshot injuries. The operations also resulted in the rescue of more than 2,000 kidnapped victims, many of whom were subsequently reunited with their families.
Similarly, security operations led to the recovery of more than 3,500 cattle and 277 sheep rustled by armed bandits. The recovered livestock were subsequently handed over to their rightful owners through the intervention of the Zamfara State Government.
Beyond these immediate operational gains, the sustained efforts of the security agencies have contributed to improving security conditions in several communities, restoring public confidence and facilitating the return of displaced persons to their ancestral homes.
Consequently, more than 30,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have so far returned to their ancestral communities in different parts of the State, including Fegin Kanawa, Fegin Mahe, Yarkatsinan Laka, among others.
The Command regards the return of these displaced residents as an important indication of the impact of sustained security operations, particularly as improved security conditions enable citizens to return to their homes, farms and legitimate means of livelihood.
The Command further wishes to emphasise that not all security operations are publicly disclosed, for obvious operational and security considerations. A significant number of anti-banditry and anti-kidnapping operations are intelligence-led, covert and jointly conducted with other security agencies. Consequently, such operations may not immediately reflect in publicly available datasets or open-source assessments.
The Zamfara State Police Command appreciates the efforts of organisations, researchers and other stakeholders who contribute to documenting and analysing the security situation in Nigeria. However, the Command encourages all concerned to verify operational statistics and security-related data with the relevant security agencies before publication, particularly where such figures may inadvertently create an inaccurate impression of the efforts being made to protect lives and property.
The Command remains resolute in its commitment to confronting banditry, kidnapping and other forms of criminality across Zamfara State. It will continue to intensify intelligence-led policing, community engagement, inter-agency collaboration and sustained tactical operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks and creating a safe environment for residents.
The Zamfara State Police Command therefore reassures the good people of Zamfara of our dedication and determination towards addressing violent crimes and criminality in the state.
The Zamfara State Police Command therefore reassures the good people of the State that it will not relent in discharging its constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property. The Command remains committed to supporting the safe return of displaced persons to their communities, enabling farmers to access their farmlands and ensuring that residents can pursue their legitimate means of livelihood without fear.
