By Ayo Kehinde
At least 50 people were killed, while several women and children were abducted after heavily armed gunmen carried out coordinated overnight raids on rural communities in Zamfara State, unleashing hours of violence that left villages in ruins and residents in deep mourning.
A lawmaker representing Bukkuyum South Constituency in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Hamisu A. Faru, said the attackers stormed Tungan Dutse village at about 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, and operated unhindered until around 3:30 a.m. on Friday. He said the gunmen moved from house to house, shooting residents who attempted to escape and setting homes on fire.
“They have been moving from one village to another, leaving at least 50 people dead,” Faru said, adding that the number of abducted victims had yet to be confirmed as traditional rulers and local government officials were still accounting for missing persons.
A resident of Tungan Dutse, Abdullahi Sani, 41, said three members of his family were killed during the attack, describing the incident as traumatic for the entire community.
“No one slept. We are all in pain”, he said.
Sani further alleged that residents had earlier alerted security agencies and local authorities after sighting more than 150 motorcycles conveying armed men heading toward the area, but no immediate action was taken before the assault began.
In a related incident, suspected bandits also attacked Dutsin Dan Ajiya village in Anka Local Government Area, where residents said the gunmen blocked all entry and exit routes before launching hours of sustained shootings and house invasions. By morning, at least 30 people including men and women, were confirmed dead, many others injured, while several residents were reportedly taken away by the attackers.
The renewed violence highlights the worsening insecurity in Zamfara and other North-West states, where armed bandit groups continue to carry out deadly raids, kidnappings for ransom, and mass displacement of rural populations despite repeated military and security interventions.
Authorities in Zamfara State, including the Police Command, have yet to issue any official statement on the incident.
