At least 11 people were killed and more than 50 others kidnapped in a night attack on Sabon Garin Damri, a community in Bakura Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Residents confirmed that armed bandits carried out the violent assault over the weekend.
A resident, who spoke anonymously for safety reasons, told Peoples Gazette on Monday that the attackers stormed the village on motorcycles, firing indiscriminately.
“The bandits stormed the village on motorbikes, shooting endlessly. It was clear that the attack was coordinated as people, aged and children, were whisked away while some were killed,” the resident said.
The Zamfara State Police Command has yet to respond to requests for comment on the incident.
Last month, Amnesty International condemned the continued failure of Nigerian authorities to protect citizens in Zamfara, where bandits have intensified attacks. The rights group accused President Bola Tinubu and security agencies of failing to curb the violence, noting that armed gangs now control 725 villages across 13 local government areas in the state.
“Across Zamfara state, attacks occur daily, with multiple attacks sometimes taking place in a single day. Residents of villages in Zamfara state told Amnesty International that gunmen also impose levies on them via phone calls, with the warning that failure to pay by a given deadline will be punished with death,” Amnesty International stated.
