Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Jigawa State, Nigeria — Security forces in northern Nigeria are contending with rising violence after a senior police officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kundi Dauda Abubakar, was wounded in an ambush during a raid on a suspected criminal hideout in Jahun Local Government Area of Jigawa State late last weekend. The incident has drawn attention to ongoing security challenges confronting law enforcement in the region.
The attack occurred on 21 December 2025, when a team of police officers — acting on credible intelligence regarding the whereabouts of suspects linked to a prior attack on police personnel — launched an early morning operation in the Atuman Fulani settlement. The raid was intended to locate and apprehend the individuals believed to be responsible for the earlier ambush in November that resulted in the theft of a police riot gun from the Divisional Police Officer’s quarters in Aujara, Jahun LGA.
However, as the team approached the suspected hideout, they were met with a calculated ambush by assailants who had prepared an attack position, surprising the policemen and unleashing a barrage of fire — including traditional weapons such as arrows — alongside other projectiles. During the confrontation, ACP Abubakar was struck and injured, prompting his immediate evacuation to Jahun General Hospital, where he received medical treatment; officials have since reported that his condition is stable and he is expected to recover.
Eyewitness accounts and police sources indicated that in the ensuing clash, officers returned fire to defend themselves. Two suspects were reportedly wounded and fled the scene, with security forces now intensifying efforts to locate and apprehend them, as well as to recover the stolen firearm believed to be in their possession.
In an official response, the Jigawa State Police Command acknowledged the ambush and confirmed the injury to its senior officer. The command emphasised that the operation reflected ongoing efforts to pursue criminals linked to attacks on law enforcement personnel and undermine their capacity to evade justice. While details remain limited, authorities have stated that efforts to track down those responsible for both the ambush and the earlier assault continue.
The incident underscores persistent security risks facing police and other security operatives in parts of northern Nigeria, where criminals often exploit rural terrain and local settlements to mount surprise attacks against law enforcement. Raids on suspected hideouts, while critical to dismantling criminal networks, carry inherent dangers — particularly when suspects have established advance warning or prepared ambush positions.
Jigawa State has experienced various security challenges in recent years, including armed robbery, banditry and clashes between criminals and police or vigilante groups. Past operations in the state have seen joint teams of security forces and community networks conduct raids on hideouts, resulting in arrests and recovery of weapons, but also periodic retaliatory attacks on officers.
Local leaders and law enforcement officials have repeatedly called for enhanced intelligence sharing, improved protective equipment for officers on high-risk engagements, and broader community cooperation to stem the tide of violent crime. Incidents such as the ambush in Jahun are likely to intensify those calls, prompting discussions about tactical planning, officer safety and strategies to prevent law enforcement personnel from being targeted in similar operations.
Residents of communities across Jigawa and neighbouring states have expressed concern in the past about the spill-over effects of criminal activity — both on public safety and on police morale. While authorities reiterate their commitment to pursuing criminals and restoring order, events like this ambush highlight the complex, often dangerous terrain in which Nigerian security forces operate.
As investigations continue and the search for the fleeing suspects intensifies, the ambush stands as a stark reminder of the volatile security environment facing law enforcement in parts of Nigeria’s northern states — one where officers risk their lives daily in confronting armed criminality and protecting communities.
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