Six Islamic clerics have been abducted by armed gunmen along the Dakko-Damri feeder road in Bakura Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The Zamfara State Police Public Relations Officer, Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Sunday.

According to the police spokesperson, the clerics were travelling to Talata Mafara on Saturday when their vehicle was intercepted by armed bandits.

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Abubakar said the incident occurred at about 11:30am, adding that the attackers, who were reportedly armed with sophisticated weapons, ambushed the vehicle and abducted all six occupants.

He identified the victims as Imams.

Following the incident, the police, alongside other security agencies, launched a search operation aimed at locating and rescuing the clerics while also apprehending the perpetrators.

“Upon receipt of the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Bakura Division, promptly mobilised and led Police personnel, including the Violence Crime Response Unit (VCRU), in collaboration with other sister security agencies, to the scene of the incident,” Abubakar said.

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He added that security operatives were combing nearby bushes and surrounding areas in an effort to locate the victims.

The Commissioner of Police, A. M. Bello, has directed the operatives to intensify the search and deploy all available resources towards securing the safe release of the abducted clerics.

The police also appealed to residents of the area to provide credible and timely information that could assist security agencies in rescuing the victims and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

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