…Gov Yari condoles with victims
Despite the deployment of more security personnel by the Federal Government to fight banditry in Zamfara State, the hoodlums have returned to the state, killing and abducting innocent people even in broad daylight.
Checks by our reporter revealed that the bandits have now returned to the state in full force, unleashing terror, killing and abducting people with little or no resistance from security operatives.
According to sources, over one hundred people were kidnapped in Tsafe Local Government Area of the state alone, while an unspecified number of people have already been killed. Sources further revealed that nine persons were abducted along Wanke/Keta road at the same time, while two people were kidnapped in Yar Zaiga village of Kenya ward. One person was kidnapped at Mai toshshi village.
Similarly, four persons were kidnapped in Marbe village, four in Kunchin kalgo, two in Sansami village in Danjibga Ward, two were abducted at Kekawa village in Magami Ward and one in Bare-Bari village.
Investigation conducted by our reporter has also revealed that rampant cases of armed banditry attacks are recorded along Gusau -Sokoto road, where no fewer than 10 people are kidnapped on daily basis.
Just last Friday night, a group of gunmen stormed Gurbin Baure village of Zaumi Local Government Area of the state, where they killed seven persons, including a policeman, and burned down more than 20 shops and several houses.
The Vice Chairman of the local government, Alhaji Abubakar Dauran, said that immediately the bandits, who were on motorbikes entered the village, they started to shoot sporadically at everyone on sight, resulting in the killing of six people and a policeman.
According to the vice chairman, the hoodlums spent several hours in the village perpetrating their murderous act without the intervention of security operatives, adding that property worth millions of naira was destroyed, in addition to those who lost their lives during the operation.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Shehu Muhammad, who confirmed the incident, maintained that the police were doing everything possible to arrest the situation.
He added that a team of security personnel had already been deployed in the area to restore peace.
Meanwhile, Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Abdul Aziz Yari Abubakar, has condoled with the families of the six people who lost their lives in last Friday night’s attack by bandits at Gurbin Bori town of Zurmi Local Government Area of the state.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Ibrahim Dosara, said the governor regretted that after months of relative peace in the state, the bandits resurfaced with their murderous activities in the area.
Governor Yari, however, commended the efforts of the security agents in the state, particularly the military, for responding quickly and crushing the attackers within the shortest possible time.
According to a statement, the governor directed Damage Assessment and Relief Committee to, as a matter of urgency, visit the area to assist victims of the attack.
The governor was represented by a powerful delegation led by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Abdullahi Mohammed Shinkafi, who was in company with the Commissioners for Information and Culture, Sanda Mohammed Danjari; Youths and Sport, Abdullahi Mohammed Gurbin Bori; Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Enlightenment, Media and Communications, Ibrahim Dosara; the state Commissioner of Police, Usman Alhassan; representatives of the Department of State Services, the Civil Defence and all the heads of other security agencies in the state.
The governor said the nature of the attack indicated that the attackers’ mission was to wipe out the town completely, adding that God save the situation as the military men and other security agents were on ground in time.
Yari, therefore, appealed to the security agencies to intensify more efforts in handling such attacks.
He said his government was doing everything humanly possible to ensure the protection of lives and property of the people in the state, urging all well-meaning citizens to give the government all the necessary support and cooperation to succeed in this regard.
The governor disclosed that he had been in consultation with the Presidency and security authorities both within and outside the state for the purpose of improving security in the state.
He expressed profound gratitude to God and President Muhammadu Buhari for giving the order to the security agencies to tackle the bandits and reduce the mayhem that had befallen the state.
