By Gabriel Atumeyi
Suspected bandits on Thursday killed at least 40 people in attacks on five communities in Faru district of Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Thursday’s attacks are the latest in the series of deadly assaults on the state’s rural communities by armed men.
The affected villages include Gudan Baushi, Gidan Adamu, Tsauni, Gudan Maidawa and Wari.
According to one resident, dozens of unidentified gunmen arrived at the communities on motorcycles firing at them.
The criminals also made away with cows and other animals in house to house operations that lasted several hours.
“A lot of farmers were also trapped while working on their farms. The security operatives with help of local vigilantes are recovering the remains of the victims in the surrounding bushes and on farmlands”
“Some of the farmers had already gone to work on their farms unknown to them that armed men were lurking around the communities. They struck the communities and many of them were caught unaware. This is because some of them do carry guns with them to the farms.
“Preparations are underway to bury them in Faru community, which is relatively bigger. This is out of the fear that the armed criminals might return and attack those carrying out the funeral rite for the victims,” a resident identified as Haruna Halilu said.
The spokesman of the state police command, SP Muhammad Shehu, could not be reached for comment at the time of filing this report.