How bandits kidnapped 36 women, killed 3 in Zamfara

Armed bandits have abducted about 50 villagers among them 36 women in Magizawa village of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The bandits who attacked the village on Sunday also killed three persons including a member of a vigilante group and injured five others.

A resident of the village, who pleaded for anonymity, said the bandits arrived at the village in the night when many residents had retired to bed.

He explained that immediately they entered the village, they began to shoot sporadically into the air, thereby scaring the residents before they conducted house-to-house search looking for their victims.

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“Although, we have a vigilante group that is patrolling the village at night, the bandits outnumbered members of the vigilante group. The bandits came in a large number and were armed with guns. Members of the local vigilante have done their best, but in the end the bandits killed their member and two others during the attack,” he said.

Another resident, who also does not want his name in print, said “We are suspecting that the attack was a handiwork of some informants among the residents. Members of our vigilante group are brave and are always on the alert, but this time around they were taken unaware by the bandits. We suspect that informants gave the bandits useful information about the activities of the vigilante on the day they invaded the village and that was why they succeeded.”

Asked whether the bandits have contacted some of the affected families, the resident confirmed that none of the families was so far contacted by the bandits to bargain for ransom.     

When contacted on phone, the Sole Administrator of Kaura Namoda, Alhaji Kasimu Sani Shantalin Kaura, declined comment, saying “Sincerely speaking, I am busy now and I can’t speak with you on this issue”.

Also, the Police Public Relations Officer, Zamfara State Command, SP Yazid Abubakar referred the reporter to the spokesperson of the Operation Hadarin Daji, saying “The Operation Hadarin Daji is responsible for handling issues of this nature.”