About 30 people were killed by bandits in fresh attacks on five communities in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State. An indigene of the area, Malam Bawa Abdullahi, said on the phone that the villages ransacked by the bandits were Sakkida, Gyadde, Sabon Gari, Farin Zare and Orawa.
Abdullahi, who gave the account on the killings, said seven people were killed at Sakkida, Gyadde (four), Farin Zare (eight), Sabon Gari (four) and Orawa (eight). According to him, the bandits who invaded the villages simultaneously, opened fire indiscriminately and rustled cattle and other domestic animals.
However, police said three people were killed at Sakkida and Gyadde villages and they had stopped further attacks after engaging the bandits.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Muhammad Shehu, who confirmed the incident, said Joint Police and Military teams responded swiftly to the distress call and on arrival, the bandits fled after killing three persons. Shehu added that the command also foiled an attack on Dangebe village in Zurmi Local Government Area. The PPRO said a gang of bandits/ cattle rustlers went to the community with intent to attack and rustle cows from the villagers.
He said: “The tactical teams of the command engaged the bandits in a gun battle which forced them to beat a retreat back to the forest with possible gun wounds and 171 cows were recovered during the operation. “The entire axis has been subjected to co-ordinated bush combing to enable the police to effect the arrest of the perpetrators of this dastardly act.”
