At least 40 people were killed on Thursday by bandits who attacked five communities in Faru District of Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The attacks are the latest in the series of deadly assaults on the state’s rural communities by bandits.
According to eyewitness account, dozens of unidentified gunmen arrived at the communities on motorcycles firing at them and made away with cows and other animals in house to house operations that lasted several hours.
“A lot of farmers were also trapped while working on their farms. The security operatives with help of local vigilantes are recovering the remains of the victims in the surrounding bushes and on farmlands,” a resident identified as Haruna Halilu told a national publication.
“Some of the farmers had already gone to work on their farms unknown to them that armed men were lurking around the communities. They struck the communities and many of them were caught unaware. This is because some of them do carry guns with them to the farms.
“Preparations are underway to bury them in Faru community, which is relatively bigger. This is out of the fear that the armed criminals might return and attack those carrying out the funeral rite for the victims.”
The state Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Shehu who confirmed the incident, however, said that efforts to reach the affected communities on time proved abortive due to the poor road network.
“The police personnel tried their best to reach the affected communities on receiving the information that the bandits were there but unfortunately they could not reach the places because of the bad roads,” he said.
He insisted the “police are currently working tirelessly” to bring the bandits to justice.
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