Residents flee as gunmen return to Zamfara community

Zamfara State on map

Birnin Magaji local government area of Zamfara State is under siege by armed bandits with repeated attacks and killing and maiming of women at many local communities in the area.
A victim from Dan-danbo community told PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday that the attackers came around 8 p.m. and started shooting sporadically in the air, scaring residents.

A number of men reportedly ran away, leaving women and children in the community.
There is the fear that some women may have been raped during the attack.

Women and children are currently running for safety, with their belongings, and are taking refuge at Nasarawa Godal community. Some are reuniting with their husbands after they fled from the attack, Friday night.

A source said the affected community in Friday’s attack is the Dan-danbo community, situated in the Birnin Magaji local government area of the state.
The attack is coming after PREMIUM TIMES reported on Thursday, how the armed bandits ransacked and killed several people at Garin Haladu and garin Kaka community, while they were working on their farmland.

But, the police source in Zamfara, however, downplayed the number of the dead victims, saying only five persons were killed in the attack.
“The attackers beats our women after they told them that they didn’t know where we kept our money. They went away with many cows and sheep and goats, including food stuff,” a victim taking refuge at Nasarawa godal community, said.

He also said no death was recorded in the attack but highlighted that many women were manhandled.
After the attack, residents fled the community in fear and in the belief that they are no longer protected by security personnel. They say their communities are under a siege and that they are repeatedly attacked by the armed bandits.

Some of the residents said the only safe place is the main town, Birnin Magaji, where soldiers are camped close to the house of Nigeria’s defence minister, Mansur Dan-Ali, who hails from Birnin Magaji local government area of the state.

Residents of the affected community, Dan-danbo, are now taking refuge at Nasarawa godal community.
In spite of this, there is the fear that the attackers are currently lurking in a nearby bush and may launch an attack on Nasarawa godal community.

Nasarawa godal community is the second biggest town after Birnin Magaji, the headquarters of the local government council. The victims of attacks in these areas are trooping to the community, seeking refuge.

Mohammed Umar, the local government chairman of Birnin Magaji, told PREMIUM TIMES that the frequent attack in Birnin Magaji communities was as a result of the dislodged the criminals’ hideout at Maradun.

He stated that on Friday, soldiers were in the bush in the affected areas and all efforts are on ground to address the insecurity in the affected areas, not only Birnin Magaji, but in the entire state.
Mohammed Shehu, the spokesperson, Zamfara police command, said he needed more time to investigate before he can confirm the attack.