Zamfara police and military rescue 504 livestock, seize AK‑47 in forest operation

In the early hours of June 20, police from the Zamfara State Violence Crime Response Unit teamed with military troops to launch a joint operation in the Gambanda Forest of Gumi Local Government Area. Acting on intelligence about an armed bandit group, the security forces engaged the suspects, forcing them to flee deeper into the forest.

The operation recovered 329 cattle and 175 sheep—totaling 504 livestock—along with one AK‑47 rifle and 15 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition. No security personnel were injured, while some bandits are believed to have sustained gunshot wounds. Commissioner of Police Ahmad Muhammad Bello praised the officers and soldiers for their professionalism and said the raid marked a significant breakthrough in the fight against banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping and related crimes in Zamfara.

The success is part of an intensified campaign to dismantle criminal networks that frequently use forest hideouts in Nigeria’s north‑west region.