Influx of gangs on motorbikes raises fear in Zamfara communities

Residents of communities in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State and others in neighbouring Katsina State have become jittery over frequent sights of armed men on motorbikes.

Locals fear the men might have been displaced by military operations elsewhere.

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Tsafe has, in recent times, witnessed an upsurge in deadly attacks by bandits, especially on the 100km Gusau-Funtua Highway.

Several travellers plying the road have been killed and dozens of others abducted in the past few months.

A resident who spoke under the condition of anonymity said armed men riding on about 20 motorcycles were sighted in Kunchin Kalgo on Monday.

Another resident, Sani Abubakar, said the reports making the rounds indicated that the notorious terror kingpin known as Turji might have relocated to the area.

“They are making the Munhaye Forest straddling Zamfara and Katsina states their new abode.”

“The authorities should as a matter of urgency track their movements with a view to eliminating them. They are making several communities a hell.

“Some weeks back, they gathered in a primary school in the Kizara community; they held a meeting there and then left. Two days later, they staged attacks on some communities and killed more than 20 persons,” Abubakar said.

The spokesman of the state police command, SP Muhammad Shehu, could not be reached for comment at the time of filing this report.