Children and women were among those taken to an unknown location, while four others sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to Tsafe General Hospital.
By Titilope Adako
Three people were killed and at least 64 others abducted on Saturday in Fegin Baza village, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, local sources say.
Children and women were among those taken to an unknown location, while four others sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to Tsafe General Hospital.
One of the victims was Umaru Moriki, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was shot along the Gusau-Tsafe Road near Fegin village.
The attack came a day after the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, visited Zamfara and announced the deployment of fresh troops by the Defence Headquarters.
The minister had assured residents that “Zamfara will no longer bow to fear” and that all necessary steps were being taken to secure communities.
Witnesses said over 30 bandits on motorcycles opened fire on Moriki’s car and other vehicles. Abdulrahman Ahmad Dole, a survivor, told Daily Trust that the attackers began shooting after overtaking motorists, including the convoy of the state Commissioner of Police. He said the bandits blocked the Gusau-Funtua Road and carried out the operation for about 15 minutes.
“They kidnapped all the people conveyed by a commercial Golf Volkswagen and others,” Abdulrahman said. He added that the bandits may have targeted the Police Commissioner, as the attack occurred shortly after the convoy passed.
Malam Musa Yusuf, a resident, said the village had received prior intelligence about a planned attack and mobilised vigilantes overnight. The bandits stormed the area around 10am but failed to penetrate the village due to resistance from the vigilantes. They then turned to the highway, where the mass abduction occurred.
Two abductees from the village were later released after a ransom of N500,000 was paid, Yusuf added.
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