Bandits kill 7 soldiers, 28 villagers in Zamfara

No fewer than seven military personnel and 28 villagers were reportedly killed, with scores injured, in a clash with bandits at Kangon Garacci, in the Dangulbi district of Maru Local Government Area, Zamfara State.

A resident of the area, Malam Usman Garacci, told News Men in a telephone conversation on Tuesday that the casualties resulted from a fierce gun battle between military personnel and the ravaging terrorists.

According to him, the unnumbered bandits stormed the community at about 4 pm on Monday and started shooting sporadically before the quick intervention of military personnel.

“The bandits were led by their kingpin, Ali Kachalla, to attack the community in an attempt to steal cattle. The bandits’ attempts were foiled by the community members who resisted them in a serious fight that led to the killing of 28 villagers,” he said.

Garacci further stated that the bandits attacked soldiers attached to the community, killing seven of the military personnel in the ensuing skirmish.

According to Garacci, numerous people in the area were hurt as a result of the incident and are currently receiving medical care at the Dangulbi Primary Health Care Centre.

He urged the federal and state governments to rescue them from bandits’ oppression.

News Men learnt that the attack came at a time when Governor Dauda Lawal was holding a crucial discussion with security chiefs on how to address the lingering insecurity ravaging the State.

The effort to get comments from the authorities of Operation Hadarin Daji has yet to yield results at the time of compiling the report.