Bandits kill 14 in renewed Zamfara attack

Suspected armed bandits on Thursday killed fourteen people in an attack on Babban Rafi village in Gwalli District of Gummi local government area of Zamfara state, Daily Trust learnt.

A resident of Barikin Daji village, who craved anonymity, told Daily Trust that the armed men arrived at the village on about 43 motorbikes when people were taking their breakfast around 9am.

“When they laid siege on the village, the gunmen asked residents to stay indoors. They started going from house to house collecting mobile phones, money and other valuables. They told the residents that they were heading to Babban Rafi village on Jihad mission.

“Unknown to them that one of the residents had escaped their siege and went to inform other people of Babban Rafi that armed men were coming to attack the community. The timely information had helped dozens of them to escape by fleeing the village even before they had arrived.

“They killed at least 13 people there and made away with herds of cattle and other domestic animals. They told the residents that they had come for Jihad and that any resistance would be very calamitous on the entire community,” he added.

The spokesman of the state’s Police command, SP Muhammad Shehu, said a large number of armed bandits suspected to have come from neighbouring Kebbi state stormed the village firing at residents.

“Combined teams of PMF/CTU/ FSARS attached to “Operation Puff Adder” in conjunction with Men from “Operation Hadarin Daji” were mobilized to the area with a view to trailing the perpetrators for arrest and to also avoid further attack on neighbouring villages,” he said.

He said discreet investigation would be conducted to unravel the circumstances surrounding this dastardly act.

Zamfara state government had struck a peace deal  with local militia groups Yansakai, armed bandits and other warring groups in June last year,  a development that led to the return of peace and stability in the state and its environs.

The police command said despite the return of peace, the command in collaboration with other security agencies are aware of some recalcitrant bandits who refused to tow the line of peace, adding however that such recalcitrant bandits are being dealt with.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Usman Nagogo, condoled with the families of the deceased and assured that “the command would arrest the perpetrators of this bizarre crime so as to face the full wrath of the law.”