ZAMFARA: Bandits attack four villages, kill 30 locals

NO fewer than 30 people have been killed in renewed bandit attacks on four villages in the state.

The attacks, which were carried out simultaneously, occurred on Tuesday in two Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

Villages attacked by bandits were Gobirawa, Rini, Gora, and Madoti Dankule in Bakura and Maradun LGAs in the state located in the north-western region of the country.

Witnesses said the assailants, who came on motorcycles in a large number, stormed the villages and began to fire sporadic gunshots.

This led to the loss of lives and several others were injured, while houses and other valuables of the villagers were razed.

“More security personnel are needed in this area if farming is to be successful this season,” said Aminu Suleiman who is the Sole Administrator of Bakura LGA.

Suleiman spoke on Wednesday when the Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Nasiru Magarya, led a delegation of the state government to the affected villages.

He told the delegation who had come to sympathise with the victims that more than 30 people were confirmed killed after the villages were attacked.

“Yesterday (Tuesday), we prayed for 17 (dead) people in Rini and about 10 people in Gora; there were two incidents actually.

“The first attack that led to the killings of about more than 20 people and the reprisal (by the Yan-Sakai – local vigilante) that led to the killing of about 10 people as well,” the sole administrator recounted.

A statement issued by the command spokesman, SP Mohammed Shehu, many of the bandits escaped with wounds from gunshots.

“As a result of the encounter, about 30 hoodlums were neutralised while others escaped to the forest with possible gunshot wounds,” he said.

“In the course of chasing the assailants out of the villages, the operatives discovered about 10 corpses of the villagers littered at the different theatre of engagements.

“Mop up operation is ongoing with a view to arresting the perpetrators of the dastardly act. Further details of the operation will be communicated in due course”.