At least five people have been confirmed dead and more than 50 abducted following a series of coordinated attacks by armed bandits on 16 villages in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
According to local sources, the assaults occurred between Saturday and Sunday, leaving a trail of destruction and fear across the affected communities.
A private conflict monitoring report prepared for the United Nations and obtained by AFP yesterday described the incident as part of a troubling pattern in the region.
“Armed bandits targeted the village of Sabon Garin Damri in Zamfara State on Friday,” the report noted, highlighting the continued threat posed by gangs known for mass abductions, extortion, and violent raids in rural parts of the state.
The report identified the incident as the first “mass capture” in Bakura Local Government Area this year, warning that “the recent trend of mass captures in Zamfara has been concerning,” and suggesting “a shift in bandit strategy towards more large-scale attacks in northern Zamfara.”
A local resident, who requested anonymity, recounted the attacks:
“Yesterday (Saturday), the armed bandits invaded eight villages comprising Dan İsa, Kyatawa, Tudu, Gidan Haruna, Tsunburburawa, Gidan Juli, Tokarawa and Gidan Bako. They killed one person in Gidan Haruna and kidnapped eight women.
“Also, today (Sunday), the bandits invaded Kwalau village and killed four people: Abubakar, Murtala, Aminu and Bello, while Ashafa sustained gun wounds in his chest and jaw. The injured person was rushed to Kaura Namoda General Hospital for treatment.
“What happened was that the bandits have turned Kwalau village into their passage whenever they are going for an operation. So, yesterday, they passed through the village in the night and raided eight villages around. While they were coming back from the operation, our vigilante operatives denied them access to pass through the village.”
The renewed violence underscores the fragile security situation in Zamfara, where rural communities remain vulnerable to criminal groups operating with impunity.
