Fresh findings at the weekend revealed that bandits killed at least 35 people, including a village head after they raided five communities in Anka local government area of Zamfara State on Thursday evening and Friday morning.
Sources said that the bandits also rustled the livestock of the villagers.
Zamfara State has become the hotbed of banditry in the country with armed men raiding villages. Hundreds of residents have lost their lives while several others have been kidnapped.
The attacked villages were Kadaddaba, Rafin Gero, Babban Baye, Wanu and Daki Takwas.
A youth leader in Anka, Shawwal Aliyu, disclosed the village head of Wanu was killed during the attack.
“You know the communities are very close. When they stormed Wanu, they went straight to the traditional ruler’s house where some residents had also gathered and they started shooting sporadically.
“It’s possible that he (villàge head) was not the reason for the attack because they were just shooting while people continued running. It was in the evening that the dead bodies were gathered,” Aliyu told journalists.
According to him, the armed men killed six people in Wanu, and in Kadaddaba four people, Babban Baye four and Rafin Gero, three.
“Those who escaped the bandits’ attack ran to Anka in the evening and despite that the villagers called security agents several times while they were being attacked, 15 people were killed just like that yesterday (Thursday),” he said.
It was gathered that the displaced persons were being sheltered in primary schools and an unofficial IDP camp given by the Emir of Anka.
On Friday, local sources said 20 people were also killed in Daki Takwas in the same local government area.
Daki Takwas is few kilometres from the main town and also not far from the Federal Government College Anka.
“Twenty people were killed in that,” Ansar Aliyu said. “They went into the town in the morning when local traders were getting ready to go to the Anka weekly market so, most of the 20 people killed were preparing to go to the market for business.”
The police command spokesman, Mohammed Shehu, didn’t respond to calls and SMS sent to him during the attacks, reports stated.