Gunmen kill two Policemen, 60 others in Zamfara, abduct 46

Different groups of unknown gunmen, have in the last two days, killed over 60 people, including two policemen, and abducted 46 others in Gusau, Maradun, Maru and Shinkafi local councils of Zamfara State.

An eyewitness, who was part of the team that escorted the chairman of Maradun Local Council to Kaya community, said a total of 26 bodies were recovered, while six additional corpses, were recovered by community members.

Reports from Dansadau Emirate of Maru Local Council, revealed that 20 people were also killed, including two mobile policemen, while 46 business people who were on their way to Magami Market were abducted, including a mobile police inspector, by a different group of unknown gunmen.

Also, another group of armed bandits reportedly launched a similar attack same day at Galadi, in Shinkafi local council around 4:00am, killing over 25 people. They also set many houses ablaze during the attack.

According to Muhammadu Isyaku, an eyewitness from Dansadau Town, the bandits numbering up to 100 intercepted three Canter trucks conveying the victims from Dansadau to Dankurmi Village at around 10:00am.

He said out of the lot, only a woman and her three-year-old boy were set free, and was asked to trek back to Dansadau, and relay what had happened to the 46 people to the villagers.

He equally pointed out that the bandits sent a message to Governor Abdulaziz Yari, that they want their over 400 cows seized by security operatives returned within seven days, else the 46 abducted persons would be killed.

Security operatives, in a joint task operation killed seven cattle rustlers and seized over 400 last Thursday in the Bindin area of the state.

The two mobile policemen were killed shortly after the team swung into action upon receiving information about the abduction of 46 people.

When contacted, the state police command’s spokesperson, Shehu Muhammad, confirmed all the incidents, adding that the police was on the trail of the gunmen.

Governor Yari has also strongly condemned the series of attacks by the armed bandits, describing the attacks as barbaric and inhumane. This was contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Public Enlightenment, Media and Communication Ibrahim Dosara.