Bandits kill nine, abduct 53 in Zamfara community

Bandits on Monday night stormed Makera community in the Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State, killing nine and kidnapping 53 others.

According to a resident of the area, Ibrahim Badamasi, who spoke to newsmen in a telephone interview, the bandits invaded the village at about 9pm and started shooting sporadically to scare away the community members.

He explained that the terrorists spent several hours searching from house to house and abducted 53 people.

He further stated that nine people who tried to escape the abduction were killed instantly.

“As the terrorists entered into our community, they started to shoot sporadically as a result of which, many people escaped to the forest.

“Many who did not run to the forest hid in their houses but the ravaging bandits went from house to house and abducted 53 people according to the head count we conducted.

“The bandits also wasted nine lives who wanted to run away or who refused to be abducted,” he said.

He explained that his four children were among those abducted by the bandits.

According to him, the bandits have not demanded any amount for ransom.

Badamasi called on the State government to act quickly to protect the lives and properties of the people of the area.

He further stated that the community members tried to protect themselves, lamenting that the bandits came to the village in large numbers.

“We were overpowered by the marouding bandits who were in large numbers.

“We tried our best to tackle them but they came in hundreds, we were not able to defeat them,” he added.

The spokesperson of the state police command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, could not be reached for comment at the time of writing this report.