Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed nine members of Zamfara Community Protection Guards (ZCPG) and kidnapped five local farmers in Tsafe local government area of the state.
The ZCPG locally known as Askarawan Zamfara is a government backed vigilante group that complements the effort of security forces in the fight against banditry in the state.
In what appears to be coordinated attacks, the bandits first attacked Yandoto Village, where they abducted five farmers working on their farms in the early hours of MondYay attack.
Later, a source, who identified as simply Muhammed in the area told WikkiTimes that the bandits later ambushed members of quasi-security outfit in the outskirts of Tsafe, killing nine in the encounter.
Muhammed also told WikkiTimes that the local farmers were abducted in the early morning attack due to absence of security personnel in the area except a few mobile police stationed in the main road.
“Five farmers were abducted on Monday morning; they were working on their farms when the bandits attacked them. You know now is almost harvest time and farmers are busy attending to their farms”.
“There is no presence of security personnel here, it is only some mobile police officers outside of the town. And most of the attacks happened in the farms now”, he said.
The bandits, aside that, attacked travellers on the Tsafe-Funtua Road, killing an unspecified number.
According to Abubakar Tudun Murtala, whose cousin was killed in the ambush, said there were several bullet wounds on the deceased’s body when it was recovered for burial.
Meanwhile Governor Dauda Lawal, who confirmed the incident in a statement by his spokesman Sulaiman Bala Idris, described the tragic loss of the security personnel as an “act of dispersed bandits on the run.”
“I received the unfortunate report of an ambush by bandits yesterday in Tsafe local government area, during which nine of our brave Community Protection Guards were killed”.
“The bandits’ ambush on our guards is a cowardly act, as they were dispersed and on the run due to sustained troop onslaught across the state. The troops will continue the renewed onslaught to defeat bandits in the state and the entire region.
“I want to take this opportunity to extend my condolences on behalf of the government and people of Zamfara State to the families and loved ones of our brave guards. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten. I hope those injured recover at the earliest.
“My government is committed to providing all necessary support to the families of the frontline guards who lost their lives”, he said.
The statement identified the fallen guards as Nasiru Aliyu, Jabiru Hassan, Abdullahi Dangude, Bashar Bawa, Mu’azu Musa, Anas Dahiru, Anas Yakubu, Lawali Yunusa, and one other.
Yawale Adamu is an investigative reporter driven by a passion for accountability and purposeful leadership.
He specializes in crafting compelling stories in both English and Hausa, with a focus on amplifying the voices of marginalized and underreported communities, offering hope and advocating for justice through his reportage.
Experience
With over a decade of experience, Yawale has produced numerous investigative stories that uncovered corruption, abuse of power, and mismanagement of public funds. From 2012 to 2022, he also served as a newscaster and translator at BRC FM Misau.
Awards
Yawale was honored as the Best Reporter of the Year at BRC FM Misau for the 2012–2013 period, reflecting his dedication and impact in the field of journalism.
