Three police officers killed in Zamfara bomb explosion

Three police officers were killed in Zamfara State, Nigeria, on Monday when their vehicle struck an explosive device planted by terrorists. The incident occurred during a routine patrol targeting armed groups along the Anka–Bagega axis.

Mugira Yusuf, a media aide to Governor Dauda Lawal, confirmed the deaths in a statement Tuesday. He identified the deceased officers as Superintendent Abdulrazak Hassan and Inspectors Murtala Musa and Auwal Ahmad. All three were identified as trained explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) experts attached to the Zamfara State Police Command.

According to Yusuf, one of the police unit’s armored personnel carriers (APCs) ran over the Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Following the explosion, bandits allegedly emerged from nearby forests, set the damaged armored vehicle on fire, and retreated. Zamfara State Police spokesperson Yazeed Abubakar could not be reached for comment.

The use of buried explosives represents a tactical shift in the ongoing security crisis in Nigeria's northwestern region. Historically, armed groups in Zamfara, often referred to as "bandits," primarily employed guerrilla tactics like mass kidnappings, cattle rustling, and village raids using small arms. However, counter-terrorism analysts and residents note an increasing adoption of battlefield tactics similar to those used by insurgent groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP in the Northeast.

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The officers were conducting a routine patrol targeting armed groups along the Anka–Bagega axis when the tragedy occurred.