Bandits have killed at least 35 people including a village head after they raided five communities in Anka local government area of Zamfara State on Thursday evening and Friday morning.
Local sources told PREMIUM TIMES that the bandits also rustled the livestock of the villagers.
Zamfara State has become one of the epicentres of criminality in the country with armed men raiding villages. These gunmen have killed hundreds of residents. They have also kidnapped several others.
The attacked villages were Kadaddaba, Rafin Gero, Babban Baye, Wanu and Daki Takwas.
A youth leader in Anka, Shawwal Aliyu, said the village head of Wanu was killed during the attack.
“You know the communities are very close. When they stormed Wanu, they went straight to the traditional ruler’s house where some residents had also gathered and they started shooting sporadically.
“It’s possible that he (villàge head) was not the reason for the attack because they were just shooting while people continued running. It was in the evening that the dead bodies were gathered,” Mr Aliyu said.
According to him, the armed men killed six people in Wanu, in Kadaddaba they killed four people while two were killed in Babban Baye and three in Rafin Gero.
“Those who escaped the bandits’ attack ran to Anka in the evening and despite that the villagers called security agents several times while they were being attacked, 15 people were killed just like that yesterday (Thursday),” he said.
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Premium Times learnt that the displaced persons are being sheltered in primary schools and an unofficial IDP camp given by the Emir of Anka.
On Friday, local sources said 20 people were killed in Daki Takwas in the same local government area.
Daki Takwas is few kilometres from the main town and also not far from the Federal Government College Anka.
“Twenty people were killed in that,” Ansar Aliyu said. “They went into the town in the morning when local traders were getting ready to go to the Anka weekly market so, most of the 20 people killed were preparing to go to the market for business.”
The police command spokesman, Mohammed Shehu, didn’t respond to calls and SMS sent to him during the attacks.
Credit: Premium Times