Insecurity: Bandits kill district head, 5 others in Zamfara

Unknown gunmen suspected to be bandits shot dead the district head of Gada community in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Alhaji Umaru Bawan Allah and five others on Wednesday.

An resident of the community who identified himself Alhaji Shittu Otman, said that the bandits numbering over 100, stormed the community around 1.00pm on Wednesday and shot indiscriminately.

The source said the bandits went from house to house, checked, picked and identified targets and killed five of them.

“They came this afternoon around 1.00pm and began to check houses and shot whoever they saw.

“Many residents ran into the bush, while several others sustained gunshot injuries,” he said.

He added that they abducted several others, including women.

“However, with the combined efforts of the local vigilantes and the security operatives, some of the abducted residents were rescued.

“The armed men were intercepted at a spot near Karakkai community. The security operatives mobilised and the local vigilante helped to block their passage.

“After a heavy gunfight, the armed criminals abandoned some of the abducted victims, while they fled with others,” he said.

The spokesman of the State Police Command, SP Muhammad Shehu could not pick his calls and did not respond to text message sent to him.

The Bandit conflict in northwest Nigeria is an ongoing conflict between the country’s government and various gangs and ethnic militias.