Bello Abdullahi, elder brother of the abducted Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area in Zamfara State, Nura Abdullahi, has died from gunshot injuries sustained during a bandit attack on the chairman’s residence.
The attack occurred on July 25 in Bungudu town, where armed bandits abducted the local government chairman and two other residents after killing four security personnel attached to him.
Bello, a former treasurer in the Zamfara State Ministry of Finance, was reportedly among residents who rushed to the chairman’s residence to assist during the attack when he was shot.
His death was confirmed on Monday by Jamilu Bungudu, a media aide to Abdulmalik Zubairu, who represents the Bungudu/Maru Federal Constituency.
With Bello’s death, the number of people killed in connection with the attack has risen to five.
The local government chairman, Nura Abdullahi, and the two other abducted residents remain in captivity as of the time of filing this report.
The kidnapped victims were identified as Halliru Soja, a staff member of the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau, and Hussaini Naira, a Point-of-Sale operator.
The four security personnel killed during the attack were identified as Inspector Basiru Lawal, Police Constable Hamza Muhammad and two vigilantes, Nura ADC and Ibrahim Baare.
Bungudu Local Government Area, located about 21 kilometres from Gusau, has experienced repeated attacks by armed bandits in recent years.
In April, gunmen reportedly riding more than 50 motorcycles attacked Yarkatsinan Laka village, killing two police officers, two health workers and a patient after raiding a security outpost and a clinic.
Other rural communities in the area, including Karakkai and Gwargwabe, have also suffered repeated attacks, with homes reportedly destroyed, residents killed and food storage facilities destroyed.
The continued violence has further worsened the humanitarian situation in communities across the local government area.
