At least 50 people were killed and several women and children abducted after armed men attacked a village in Zamfara State.
Hamisu A. Faru, the lawmaker representing Bukkuyum South, made this known to Reuters on Friday.
The attack, which lasted for several hours, left dozens dead and properties destroyed, further highlighting the worsening insecurity in parts of northern Nigeria.
Residents said warnings about the attackers’ movement were ignored, raising concerns about the responsiveness of security forces.
The incident adds to the growing list of deadly assaults blamed on armed groups operating in the region.
What they are saying
Faru said the attackers stormed Tungan Dutse village from around 5 p.m. on Thursday until about 3:30 a.m. on Friday. He stated that the gunmen moved from one community to another, killing residents and setting buildings ablaze.
- “They have been moving from one village to another … leaving at least 50 people dead,” Faru told Reuters by phone.
- He said the number of abducted victims was yet to be determined. Traditional leaders and local government officials were still accounting for the missing.
- “No one slept yesterday, we are all in pain,” said Abdullahi Sani, a 41-year-old resident who lost three family members in the attack.
Faru explained that the assailants shot at residents who attempted to flee, while Sani disclosed that locals had alerted security forces a day earlier after spotting more than 150 motorcycles carrying armed men.
Get up to speed
In March 2021, in response to the rising wave of banditry in Zamfara State, President Muhammadu Buhari declared the state a no-fly zone and imposed a ban on all mining activities until further notice. Zamfara has since remained one of the epicentres of bandit attacks in Nigeria’s northwest, with armed groups frequently targeting rural communities for mass killings and abductions.
- Attacks often involve large groups of gunmen on motorcycles, who operate for several hours with little or no resistance.
- Many victims are abducted for ransom, while homes, shops, and farmlands are destroyed during the raids.
- Residents in affected communities have repeatedly raised concerns about delayed security responses despite issuing prior warnings.
The ongoing violence has displaced thousands of people and intensified pressure on both federal and state authorities to implement more effective security measures in the region.
What you should know
Insecurity remains a pressing concern in Nigeria, particularly in the northwest, where banditry has escalated in recent years.
The decision was announced after President Tinubu met with the police, Air Force and army chiefs, as well as the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS).
