In a bold defensive action, residents of Matusgi village in Zamfara State’s Talata Mafara Local Government Area successfully killed 37 bandits who had invaded their community with plans to abduct locals.
According to reports from a local resident, the bandits, arriving on motorcycles at about 2 p.m. on Wednesday, were met with fierce resistance.
The villagers, forewarned of the impending attack, prepared themselves by arming with a mix of locally-made firearms and traditional weapons.
This was not the first time they had defended their community, but it marked the first time they inflicted such significant losses on the attackers.
Initially, the bandits attempted to intimidate the villagers by firing sporadically upon arrival. However, the villagers, having anticipated this move, were ready to counterattack.
After an intense hour-long battle, the bandits were forced to retreat, leaving behind 10 of their dead comrades. The villagers, undeterred, regrouped and laid an ambush for the gang. When the bandits attempted to regroup and return, the villagers struck again, bringing the total number of bandits killed to 37.
Alhaji Ciroma Muhammad, the District Head of Matusgi, confirmed the clash and noted that three villagers lost their lives in the encounter. He mentioned that neighboring communities reported seeing the bandits transporting the bodies of their fallen on motorbikes.
“This marks the 13th attack on our village by these bandits,” Alhaji Muhammad stated. “Only three weeks ago, they kidnapped 23 residents, mostly women, without firing a shot until they were leaving. The ransom was set at N150,000 per person, but only seven women have been released so far, with the others still held captive.”
Meanwhile, in neighboring Kaduna State, government forces successfully neutralized eight bandits in a separate operation.
Troops on a patrol in the Kampanin Doka area of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area encountered the bandits and swiftly engaged them, killing seven on the spot. An additional bandit was killed in the Gayam area after the troops launched a search operation, according to Samuel Aruwan, the Overseeing Commissioner for the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs.
The operation also led to the recovery of several weapons and items, including three AK-47 rifles, ammunition, motorcycles, and communication devices.
(DAILY TRUST)
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