Suspected bandits disguised in police uniforms have attacked Government Secondary School, Raka, in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, killing a teacher and abducting three women, including the wife of the deceased.
The incident occurred at around 8:00 p.m. on Saturday.
A member of the school’s management, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attackers breached the school’s perimeter through a hole in the back fence.
The source said, “They stormed the premises dressed in police uniforms, complete with caps and plastic shoes.
“They accessed the school through the back fence and used the same route to escape after the attack.
The slain teacher, identified as Malam Kabiru Abdullahi, was reportedly killed while resisting abduction.
“He confronted the bandits and even managed to overpower one of them before he was shot.”
The attackers abducted Abdullahi’s wife and two other women during the raid.
“The gunfire that erupted prompted students to shout ‘thieves, initially leading some staff to believe it was a petty burglary.
“However, the gunshots quickly dispelled that notion,” the staff recounted, adding that the police and army arrived at the scene after the attackers had fled.
“The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) helped escort the teacher’s remains to his residence in town for burial arrangements,” the source added.
The school, which had recently transitioned to a non-boarding model due to insecurity in the area, had never experienced such an incident before.
“This is the first time we’ve been attacked. People in the community used to come here to relax,” a staff member said.
In related incidents across Zamfara State, bandits have launched a series of coordinated attacks in Anka, Kauran Namoda, Gusau, and Maru local government areas.
In Anka, gunmen abducted two wives and six children of a resident, Abdullahi Azee.
In Kauran Namoda’s Madira village, two people were killed, while in Damba, Gusau LGA, a man, his wife, and their four-month-old baby were kidnapped.
Meanwhile, an attempted invasion of Kadauri village in Maru LGA was repelled by a combined effort of local vigilantes and security operatives, forcing the assailants to retreat.
Zamfara State has remained a hotspot for banditry and abductions in recent years, despite increased security deployments.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Zamfara Police Command, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said he was unaware of the school attack but promised to verify the information and respond. However, he had not provided any update as of press time.
