Bandits have killed the Director of Planning in Talata Mafara Local Government and the councilor for Jangebe Ward after an ambush on the Jangebe–Talata Mafara road.
The three officials were reportedly abducted on May 18, 2026, along with the Area Revenue Officer (ARO) for Pilgrims Affairs in Talata Mafara LGA. They were travelling from Jangebe to the local government headquarters to prepare for the pilgrimage.
Hon. Yahaya Yari, chairman of Talata Mafara LGA, confirmed the incident and called it tragic and unfortunate. He said the council tried to secure the officials’ release, but the bandits “informed us that anyone abducted from Jangebe community would be killed. They made it clear that they were not interested in collecting ransom,” Yari said.
A Jangebe resident and close associate of the victims, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the attack. He said five people were in the ARO’s vehicle, owned by Sama’ila Ladan, when they were ambushed.
“The bandits intercepted them at a notorious flashpoint on their way to Mafara. They killed the village head instantly after he resisted being taken away,” the source said.
“They also shot the Area Revenue Officer in the hand and apparently assumed he was dead. The attackers then abducted the Director of Planning, Jamilu Sani, while two other occupants of the vehicle escaped into nearby bushes.”
The source warned the security situation is getting worse: “The security situation in our area continues to deteriorate. Once you travel about three kilometres outside Jangebe, you are largely on your own. “Our only relatively safe route is the Mayanchi–Anka–Gummi road, but even that has now become a dangerous corridor,” he lamented.
DSP Yazid Abubakar, spokesman for the Zamfara State Police Command, also confirmed the incident.
