Tension in Zamfara: Bandits kill over 50 in fresh Zamfara attack on the 6 May, 2022
Zamfara, one of the Northern States in Nigeria have been in the news for a long while now and the news has been on banditry and terrorists operations within the state.
The Boko Haram terrorists group have been in collaboration with bandits to terrorize the Northern region in Nigeria. This could be traced to several causes but for today, they aren't important for our discussion.
Some 3 weeks ago, bandits attacked Zamfara state and killed several innocent citizens, who were sleeping in their residents, although, investigation is ongoing by the Nigerian Police.
Residents of Bakura Local Government of Zamfara State said no fewer than 56 people were killed on Friday afternoon when bandits attacked three villages in the area.
A former councilor, who asked not to be named, told our reporter that the gunmen attacked Sabon Garin Damri, of the villages, around 2:30 p.m.Source
The attacks on Friday on 3 communities in Bakura Local Government Area of Zamfara state, shows that the local government have suffered from several attacks on a short period of time. It's my believe that residents were taken unawares by the terrorists and the casualties were enormous. It amazes me that bandits could attack a community by 2pm.
“I was in the main town when the bandits entered Sabon Garin Damri. We suddenly saw people running towards us. Then we started hearing sporadic gunshots. I was miraculously saved,” he said.
He said the bandits carried out what appears to be coordinated attacks from Sabon Garin Damri, Damri and Kalahe before a joint security team confronted them.
Another resident, Mu’azu Damri, said the number of casualties would have been more if the security agents didn’t confront the bandits.Source
Due to some security reasons, a resident who refused to disclose his identity, said that the sudden attack made some residents of Damri to flee their residents in search for help from the security personnels within the local government area. According to Mu' azu the casualties would've much, if the security personnels were m weren't on their guard to engage the bandits in a shootout.
This is a clear sign that the security personnels are working very hard to keep to their basic duty of protecting lives and properties within the area.
“I’ll have to personally applaud them (security agents), though I believe they should have come earlier because if they came at the right time, they would have saved a lot of people. But their arrival helped because the number would have been more than that,” he saidSource
This calls for promotion of those personnel who fought against the bandits. This is because the actual plans of the bandits was worse than what really happened in Damri.
Mr Damri also said the bandits were pursued by the team of soldiers and police personnel, forcing them to abandon the livestock, food items, and other things they had looted from residents.
Though Mr Damri said the number of those killed was 48, other sources, including the former councilor told PREMIUM TIMES that the number of those killed as at Saturday afternoon stood at 56.Source
Prior to the intervention by the security personnels, the bandits have looted so much from the residents, but it's so unfortunate to retaliate to them that the military came so quickly to rescue the residents. Thanks to the men of the Nigerian Police and the NSCDC for their efforts to secure the lives and properties of the residents.
I'll conclude by saying that, in most recent times, Zamfara state have been a camp for terrorists activities and the federal government needs to impose a state of emergency on banditry operations in Zamfara states, Nigeria or the state will no longer be habitable for residents and citizens.
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