No fewer than 45 persons have lost their lives in bandit attacks on six communities in Zamfara State.
The attack on Wednesday has seen women and children reported missing, while house, shops as well as private and public buildings have been burnt by bandits.
The affected communities are in the Magami District of Gusau Local Government Area.
These are: ‘Yar Doka, Kango, Ruwan Dawa, Madaba, Arzikin Da and Mairairai. Residents said armed men first laid siege on ‘Yar Doka village on motorbikes and short anyone at sight. The village is about 7 km west of Magami town.
A resident that spoke on the incident said, “The whereabouts of dozens of residents who escaped the siege is still unknown.”
It was learnt that from ‘Yar Doka, the attackers proceeded to another village called Kango and shot dead at least 11 people.
A resident, Halliru Bala, said the armed men also killed thirteen people in the Ruwan Dawa community along Gusau–Dansadau road. The village is 58 km south of Gusau, the state capital.
“They also shot dead seven people at Madaba, two at Mairairai and five people at Arzikin Da communities.”
“As I am talking to you, the seven bodies of the slain residents had already been brought to Magami town and they would be buried this evening immediately after Iftar,” he said.
Bala said most of those killed were the people who had gone to offer help to the communities under attack.
“You know, people in rural communities hardly look the other way whenever their neighbours are under attack,” he said.
According to Daily Trust, residents of ‘Yar Doka community had deserted their homes after attacks on their community.
Another resident identified as Babangida, said: “The bandits attacked the community and burnt their food stores. The residents had to take shelter in Magami. They decided to return but unknown to them, the armed criminals were planning to attack them again.”
“The assailants moved from one village to another. I saw injured residents being conveyed to a medical facility. The vigilantes known as ‘Yan Sakai had gone to Yar Doka community to repel the attack but were forced to return by the superior firepower of the attackers,” he said.
The Commissioner for Information in the state, Ibrahim Dosara in a statement, only spoke on the launched by bandits on Tuesday.
“Following simultaneous attacks by recalcitrant bandits on Gobirawa, Gora, Rini and Madoti Dankule villages of Maradun and Bakura Local Government Areas of the State on Tuesday 20th April 2021 leading to the loss of lives of innocent members of the above-mentioned communities, the state government under the leadership of His Excellency, Governor Bello Mohammed Matawallen Maradun is saddened by this unfortunate incident and condemned it in strongest terms.
“The government also condoled with the families of those who lost their lives in the sad event and is taking every necessary step to ensure that the culprits are brought to book.
“As part of the government concern and care about the lives and welfare of the people, it constituted a high powered delegation under the leadership of the Speaker, Zamfara State House of Assembly, Nasiru Mu’azu Magarya to visit the affected communities to pay the state government’s condolences and sympathize with the families of the deceased,” the statement said.
