Two weeks after bandits launched renewed attacks on rural communities in Zamfara State, over 40,000 residents of affected villages have abandoned their homes in Zurmi, Maradun and Shinkafi local government areas of the state.
A yet-to-be ascertained number of the villagers in the three local government areas have also been killed by the bandits.
An official of Zurmi Local Government council, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that inhabitants of the villages in the three local government areas had been forced to relocate to an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Zurmi
town.
Dead bodies are yet to be counted as at I’m talking to you
The official said the internally displaced persons had to abandon their homes in the affected villages to escaped being killed by the bandits on the rampage in the areas.
According to him, a combined team of security agents have been dispatched to the villages to retrieve corpses of residents killed by the bandits for proper burial.
“Dead bodies are yet to be counted as at I’m talking to you. A team of security agents have been sent to search for the dead ones and bury them,” he added.
Zamfara State Deputy Governor, Mallam Ibrahim Wakala, visited the displaced persons to sympathise with them.
He expressed concern over the unfortunate incident and called on security agencies to redouble their efforts towards curtailing the menace and danger posed by the bandits.
The state Chairman for the distribution of relief materials and Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. sanusi Garba Rikiji, also expressed government’s concern over the attacks on the
communities.
“But what we have seen here today is very unfortunate, very devastating having over 12, 000 persons, especially women and children being displaced from their homes by the bandits,” he added.
Rikiji expressed regret that this was a clear indication that the state was under a siege.
“We are calling on security agencies to wake up and to do what is right to protect our people, as the security challenge is getting out of hand,” he added.
The speaker lamented that the bandits were after the destruction of the lives of people and their property, urging security agencies to be alive to their responsibility.
Rikiji said, “Some of the displaced persons died while running from their communities to Zurmi, some pregnant women delivered new babies while treaking to Zurmi; new born babies have been washed with dirty gutter
water.
“As I’m speaking right now, three districts under Zurmi Emirate in Zurmi Local Government Area are under the control of these bandits and not under the control of the Nigerian government; which means they have taken over all
the land.”
He, therefore, said that the government had directed the state Commissioner for Education to close all the schools in this area in order to use their facilities to accommodate the displaced
persons.
“As I am talking now, all the villages of these people have been burnt down; their property, including money, have also been burnt to ashes. This is to tell you this banditry is not for economic reasons.
“These bandits are after destruction of lives of our people and their properties. So, security agencies must wake up; you have to work up to expectations,” he
said.
