Dozens Feared Killed As Terrorists Sack Zamfara Community

Zamfara State on Friday reeled from another massacre by terrorists as gunmen reportedly killed no fewer than 50 residents of Dutsin Dan Ajiya village, Anka Local Government area of the state. A resident of the village, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the bandits, who carried sophisticated weapons, raided the village on Thursday night and shot sporadically. He added that the terrorists blocked all access roads linking the community to prevent people from running away. He said, “After blocking all the roads, the bandits started to shoot at sight and the villagers ran helter-skelter. “After the attack, we realised that 30 people were killed; some were wounded, while several others are at large and nobody knows their whereabouts.” Corpses of the victims were robed in white in preparation for a mass burial as seen in a viral video. It was gathered that the attackers also abducted many residents during the raid which lasted till the wee hours of Friday. However, Reuters said at least 50 people were killed in the attack. A lawmaker representing Bukkuyum South, Hamisu Faru, told the news agency that the attackers raided the village from around 5pm on Thursday until about 3.30am on Friday, burning down buildings and shooting residents who tried to flee. “They have been moving from one village to another … leaving at least 50 people dead,” Faru added. A 41-year-old resident of the village, Abdullahi Sani, also said three family members were killed in the attack. According to Sani, residents alerted security forces and local authorities when they saw more than 150 motorcycles carrying the hoodlums, but they got no support. Naija News House had earlier reported on Friday that the Nigerian Army armoured personnel carrier (APC) was reportedly destroyed by an explosive device along the Keta–Dangibga road in Zamfara State, raising fresh concerns over worsening insecurity in the region.