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From Mohammed Munirat Nasir, Gusau.
Fresh attacks by bandits in Kabasa Village, Magami district of Gusau local government area of Zamfara state have led to the death of about 8 people and 11 bandits.
According to a source in the village the bandits arrived the village on motorcycles in their dozens around 4.30pm on Tuesday and started shooting sporadically at anything on sight which made the villagers to sum up courage to face the bandits in a fierce fire for fire battle which lasted more than three hours before the military personal stationed at Magami arrived.
The source said the attack by the bandits on the village could be to linked to an earlier the killing of many bandits who attempted invading the village some week back.
The source added that about 8 people including three soldiers and 5 villagers loss their lives during the battle.
“It is pathetic because I think one of the soldiers who loss their lives is a Senior officer a Major in the Army,” he said.
Another source said he saw the bandits conveying more than 11 dead bandits who were killed during the Tuesday encounter in Kabasa village.
“I was returning from my farm after the day’s hard job when I was about to get into our village, I started hearing gun shoots which made me to look for a safe place to hide because I don’t have anything to depend on to engage the bandits.
“From where I was hiding, I could hear the sounds of the gun fires between the military and the bandits and suddenly after about two hours while still hiding, I started seeing the bandits retarding back from the village having being over powered by the military fire power.
“I counted about 11 dead bodies being ferried away by the bandits on motorcycles,” he said.
In a reaction, the Zamfara state government condemned and described the Tuesday’s attack in Kabasa as sad.
A statement by the state Commissioner of Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji Dosara said the state government has already directed security agencies in the state to carry out a full investigation into the incident and report back to the government for action.
“Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle received with shock the report of an attack by some recalcitrant bandits who unleashed mayhem on innocent people in Kabasa village of Magami district in Gusau local government of the state.
“The Executive Governor is saddened and disturbed by this sad event and strongly condemned it which led to the loss of lives in the village.
“The Governor also extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and prayed Allah Subhanahu Wataala to grant the souls of the departed, eternal rest,” he said.
The commissioner added that the Standing Committee for the assessment of damages constituted by the state government has been instructed to visit the community to assess the level of damages inflicted on the community.
“People of the affected community in particular and the state in general, are also advised to remain law-abiding and go about their normal businesses,” he said.
