KEBBI BANDIT ATTACK: Police Honour 10 Fallen Officers, Vow Relentless Pursuit of Criminals
By Pan Afric Reporters
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has vowed that the Nigeria Police Force will not relent in its fight against banditry and other violent crimes following the death of 10 officers of the Special Intervention Squad during an encounter with suspected bandits in Kebbi State.
The remarks were contained in the IGP’s address at a memorial parade held on Monday, August 24, 2026, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, in honour of the fallen officers.
Disu said the officers paid the supreme price while confronting a heavily armed group of suspected bandits along the Rafin Makuku axis of Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State on August 10.
According to him, the police personnel intercepted the suspected bandits who were moving between Zamfara and Kebbi states, leading to a fierce exchange of fire in which 10 officers were killed and two others injured. Two civilians also lost their lives in the encounter.
He said the sacrifice of the officers was not in vain, noting that at least 17 suspected bandits were neutralised, while four motorcycles belonging to the attackers were destroyed.
The IGP described the deceased officers as gallant personnel who died while fulfilling their constitutional and professional responsibility to protect lives and property.
“We shall not be intimidated, we shall not relent, and we shall not allow the sacrifices of our fallen heroes to be in vain,” Disu said.
He expressed condolences to the families of the deceased officers, assuring them that the Nigeria Police Force would continue to support them and ensure that the sacrifices of their loved ones were not forgotten.
“We grieve with you, we stand with you, and we will not abandon you,” the IGP told the bereaved families.
Disu urged Nigerians to remember the fallen officers and thousands of other police personnel who continue to risk their lives in the line of duty, stressing that the security enjoyed by citizens often comes at a heavy personal cost to security personnel.
He assured Nigerians that the Police Force would continue to work with the Armed Forces, sister security agencies, state governments and local communities to confront banditry, terrorism and other forms of violent criminality.
The IGP further vowed that the Force would intensify efforts to track down those responsible for attacks on police personnel and innocent citizens, disrupt their activities and bring them to justice.
“We will continue to pursue these criminal elements, disrupt their activities and bring those responsible for attacks on our personnel and innocent citizens to justice,” he said.
Disu urged police personnel to draw renewed determination from the sacrifice of their fallen colleagues, while calling on Nigerians to honour their memory by supporting efforts to build a safer and more peaceful country.
He prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased officers and strength for their families to bear the loss.
