Waylaying bandits, yesterday invaded Gwashi village in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State, sacking the locals as they scampered for safety.
Abdul Balarabe, a Zamfara-based journalist posted this on his Twitter handle, saying the criminal elements reigned terror in the village yesterday evening.
READ: Zamfara Govt Orders Police Boss to Arrest Journalists for ‘Covering Opposition’s Event’
In still pictures attached to the tweet, locals including school pupils could be seen fleeing the terror scene.
Mohammed Shehu, the spokesman for Zamfara Police Command, could not be reached for comments. He did not respond to WikkiTimes’ calls. Also, an enquiry sent to him had not been responded to at press time.
In a related event, Hassan Nasiha, the Zamfara State Deputy Governor and the state’s police command confirmed the killing of one man and 18 others who sustained various degrees of injuries during a clash by suspected youths of All Progressive Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
READ: 10-year-old Zamfara Bandits’ Informant Kills 3 for N10,000
Before the scuffle, the Zamfara State government had placed a ban on political gatherings in an attempt to curb banditry in the state. In addition, it also restricted movement in some local councils prone to banditry.
However, PDP stalwarts in the state went ahead to organise a political gathering a day after the announcement. They argued that the regulation was aimed at hindering them from organising the event, saying the government should deploy more security officials to the affected communities where it restricted movements.
In reaction to the incident, APC in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris said: “It is highly disheartening and worrisome the attack with firearms perpetrated by PDP thugs. The thugs came as the PDP Zamfara Governorship candidate’s boys and shot at innocent youths who were carrying out their monthly sanitation work in GRA area of Gusau, the Zamfara state capital.
“We are calling for calm by the good citizens of the state who were angered by the thugs. “We wish to call on both the state government and security agents to urgently fish out the culprits and bring them to book to prevent reprisals.” Idris urged security agencies to also uncover how and where the alleged attackers secured such dangerous firearms. A stitch in time saves nine and a word is always enough for the wise.”
READ: Despite Unhindered Attacks, Zamfara Police Claims Serenity on Tsafe-Funtua Highway
Similarly, PDP through their governorship candidate, Dr Dauda Lawal-Dare stated: “We only had a small meeting to receive defectors from the 14 local government areas of the state.”
“We have applied for security and the Commissioner of Police and the Commandant Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps deployed their men that ensured the successful activity of our great party,” said the party’s deputy chairman.
