Over 50 killed as gunmen besiege Zamfara


Gunmen suspected to be cattle rustlers on Saturday, February 6, attacked Kwanar Dutse community in Maru local government area of Zamfara state.
Leadership reports that over 50 persons were killed in the bloody operation that took place in the wee hour of the night.

According to a witness, the assailants stormed the community when most residents were already asleep. The witness said the armed bandits also set houses ablaze during the raid.
Another resident who gave his name as Salisu Musa told newsmen that the assailants came prepared to wreak havoc as each of the motorcycles they came with were mounted by three passengers.
“I rushed to the main entrance and peeped through a hole and spotted many motorcycles, each loaded with three persons armed with heavy rifles,” Musa said.
Musa disclosed that he was scared to death when he heard continuous gunshots accompanied by the cries of women, men and children.
According to him, the suspected cattle rustlers operated till morning without any hindrance from security operatives in the area. Musa, who could not confirm the number of casualties, gave an estimation of at least 50 persons. He said he counted the corpses during the victim’s burial.
Hamza Bula, a resident and a witness said the sporadic shootings wake him up from his sleep.
“I quickly realized that our community was under house to house attack by insurgents,”he said.
Bula revealed that the bandits moved from house to house in a well-coordinated manner shooting anybody on sight.
The bandits reportedly left unhindered with unspecified number of cattle after the bloody attack.
When the state’s police command spokesman, DSP Sanusi Amiru, was contacted, he confirmed the attack but insisted that only 12 people lost their lives.
Amiru further hinted that soldiers and police officers have been deployed to the area to enhance security.
Recall that Fulani herdsmen reportedly attacked three communities in Girei local government area of Adamawa state in the early hours of Sunday, January 24, leaving many killed and several others injured.



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