Bandits, on Thursday, killed 12 villagers and seven policemen in an attack on a Zamfara State community.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Muhammad Shehu Dalijan, who confirmed the attack, said the killing took place at Magarya village in Zurmi Local Government Area.
He added that among the victims were a member of the Zamfara State Community Guards, also known as Askarawan Zamfara and four residents of the village.
The CP said the bandits, numbering about 300, stormed the village on motorbikes, and on arrival, surrounded “our men and opened fire on them, thereby killing seven of them and injuring several others.”
“The bandits were not happy with our men who prevented them from carrying out their heinous act for over two years now.
“Since the deployment of police to the area, the bandits could not have a chance to attack the village,” he said.
The police commissioner said more police personnel would be deployed to the area
Confirming the incident on Thursday, the former speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Nasiru Muazu Magarya who is an indigene of the town, said that three vehicles including one belonging to his elder brother who is also the district head of Magarya were set ablaze.
He said Magarya Model Primary School and some part of his house were also set ablaze by the terrorists.
“The bandits entered the town in there large numbers with very sophisticated weapons, they killed twelve people including seven Policemen deployed to the town,” he said.
“The vehicles were burnt including that of my elder brother who is the district head of our community, some part of my house was also set ablaze and the Magarya model Primary school.”
The former speaker said some of the mobile Policemen deployed to the town ran for safety owing to the number of the bandits that attacked the community.
“We have some mobile Policemen in our community but when the bandits came in there large numbers and killed some of the police, others run for their lives.”
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Zamfara State Police Command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, said he was yet to get a situation report from the area but promised to find out and get back to our correspondent
Magarya community under Zurmi local government has been witnessing bandits attacks for several years
The bandits in the year 2021 attacked the community and kidnapped the father of the then Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Nasiru Muazu Magarya who was the District Head of the Magarya community.
He later died while in captivity of the bandits after being held for over two months.
