Communities stranded after terrorists destroy police stations

Thousands of communities across Nigeria have been left without police presence after terrorists, bandits and armed groups forced the abandonment of police stations, Saturday PUNCH investigations have revealed.

The security vacuum, uncovered in at least seven states, has left millions of residents exposed to kidnappings and violent attacks, while forcing communities to depend on vigilantes, hunters and informal security structures for survival.

Findings by our correspondents showed that in states such as Sokoto, Anambra, Niger, Kaduna, Plateau, Zamfara, Kwara and Imo, many police facilities have either been destroyed, abandoned or left grossly understaffed after repeated assaults by armed groups.

In many affected areas, residents now travel several kilometres before reaching the nearest police station, worsening response times to emergencies and deepening concerns over access to justice and the collapse of grassroots policing.

Zamfara

Saturday PUNCH gathered that over 1,000 communities in Zamfara State lack security presence, including police stations and outposts.

A community leader in Bindin Village, Maru Local Government Area of the state, Garba Sani, told Saturday PUNCH that many villagers had relocated to Gusau, the state capital, and other places due to persistent attacks by bandits and the absence of security personnel in the area.

He stated that community leaders had on several occasions requested the establishment of a police station or the redeployment of security personnel to the area, but all efforts had yielded no result.

“There are currently over one thousand communities in the state living without police stations. The bandits operate even in broad daylight in my village because there is no security presence. We have on several occasions written to the state government, seeking the deployment of security personnel or the construction of a police station in the village, but up till today, nothing has been done,” he said.

Similarly, a community leader in Jangeme Village, Samaila Musa, told Saturday PUNCH that the village had no nearby security presence despite rampant bandit attacks.

He disclosed that most residents usually slept in the bush and returned to their homes the following morning due to the absence of security personnel.

A senior police officer in the state, who spoke with one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, admitted that security personnel in the state were overwhelmed.

“Our number is grossly inadequate compared to the bandits, who usually move in hundreds. Our weapons are outdated, and there is no way we can squarely confront these criminals.

“Most times when they attack, officers are forced to retreat because survival becomes the priority,” the officer said.

Some police stations in Zamfara have come under attack, with many personnel killed by bandits.

In March 2023, bandits attacked the Maru Police Station and killed the Divisional Police Officer, Kazeem Raheem, alongside another officer, Inspector Rabiu Umar.

Again, in February 2024, gunmen stormed the Zurmi Police Station, killed the Divisional Crime Officer and burnt down the facility.

However, the police authorities stated that no station had been officially shut down despite years of attacks.

The spokesman for the Zamfara State Police Command, Yazid Abubakar, told Saturday PUNCH that all 20 police stations across the state’s 14 LGAs remained operational.

“I know there were several cases of attacks by bandits on police stations, especially within dangerous zones like Dansadau, Zurmi and Maru, but up till today, we have not closed any of them,” he said.

The spokesman added that the command was considering establishing additional police stations due to increasing requests from communities.

Communities stranded after terrorists destroy police stations

Zamfara

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