Gunmen Strike In Zamfara Again, Kill 15

The abductors of 156 Islamiyya students have demanded the sum of N110m as a ransom for their release. The students were forcefully taken away by their abductors at Tegina town in Rafi LGA on Sunday.

Barely a week after the massacre of 26 people in a community in Zamfara State, gunmen have again struck another village in the state, killing 15 people.

Public Relations officer of the Zamfara State Police Command, Muhammad Shehu, told the News Agency of Nigeria, on Saturday, June 2, in Gusau that the bandits killed the people in a village called Zakuna, in the Anka Local Government Area.

The state has been plagued by repeated attacks in recent times that have left scores dead.

Shehu said that the attackers invaded Zakuna in the early hour of June 1 and stole cows belonging to villagers.

According to him, a vigilance group known as Yansakai challenged the rustlers, forcing them to flee only for the bandits to reinforce and attack the village, killing 15 people.

“On receiving the reports of the attack, the police mobilised to the village and discovered 15 bodies, majority of whom were Yansakai.

“The police have, however, deployed heavy security to the area to maintain peace and stability.

“Bush combing and rigorous patrol is being carried out throughout the area by the police to avoid further loss of lives.”

Shehu said that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Kenneth Ebrimson, had ordered discreet investigation on the latest incident to catch the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

He pleaded with communities in the state not to relent in providing information to security operatives to end the deadly attacks in the state.

On May 25, some communities in Gidangoga District in the Maradun Local Government Area of the state were similarly attacked by bandits, resulting to the death of 26 people, with three others injured.