Fear grips Zamfara villages over attacks

Palpable fear has gripped many villages especially those close to Kware community in Shinkafi local government area of Zamfara state where armed bandits struck and killed more than 60 persons within the last five days, Daily Trust gathered.

A resident from Kurya village told Daily Trust that there was an intense fear by the dwellers of the village owing to the perceived plan by the armed bandits to attack the community.

“Some of our local vigilantes went to the neighbouring Kware community to offer help when they were under attack and some of the bandits were heard vowing to attack Kurya, a village just 1 km from the invaded Kware community,” a resident Aliyu Sani said.

He said some people are still missing after the attack adding that the remains of those killed had been recovered from the surrounding bushes and buried.

He then called on the government to reinforce the security operatives already there to avoid another calamitous attack on the hapless rural communities of the state.

However, the acting Armed Force information officer of Operation Sharan Daji, Major Clement Abiade, said troops had mobilized to the area adding that there should be no cause for the people to panic.

“Most of the attacks by these armed bandits are happening in very remote areas and the places are hardly easily accessible. They attack remote villages and then easily withdraw into forest. The people should be assisting us with timely information,” he added.