Bandits yesterday abducted 43 worshippers from a mosque in Gidan Turbe village, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
They were also said to have kidnapped 12 persons at Godai village, Bukkuyum Local Government Area of the state, on Sunday.
Both incidents occurred at a time community leaders and some armed groups in neighbouring Katsina State had entered into a peace deal.
Security experts said that to effectively address insecurity, state governments in the North West must collaborate against bandits in the zone.
The Zamfara mosque attack, Daily Trust gathered, occurred around 5.30am during prayer. The gunmen were said to have surrounded the mosque and whisked away 43 worshippers towards Gahori Mountain.
Gahori Mountain, in Tsafe Local Government Area, is situated in a thick forest that spreads from Zamfara through parts of Kebbi State and down to Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State.
The forest is said to be an enclave of different bandits’ groups operating across Zamfara and parts of Sokoto and Kebbi states.
Locals alleged that almost all the famous bandit leaders, including Bello Turji, Ado Aliero, Dogo Gide, Dan Isuhu and Black, among others, have their enclaves around Gahori Mountain.
Residents, who spoke to Daily Trust yesterday, said the attack on the mosque had left several communities in Tsafe and environs in confusion and despair.
A resident of Gidan Turbe, Habibu Dogo, said: “The bandits silently surrounded the mosques and patiently waited for the worshippers to finish prayers. Shortly after they finished, the bandits gathered all of them outside and later moved them out of the village.
Aftermath of bandit attack on Kurya Madaro community in Kaura Namoda LGA of Zamfara State (File photo)
“It appears the bandits kept their motorcycles afar because nobody in the village noticed their movements. After they abducted the worshippers, they moved them towards Gahori Mountain.
Auwal Isa, a resident of Tsafe, said the community and its environs had been witnessing renewed banditry attacks in recent days.
He said, “From Kucheri-Tsafe, a distance of about 10 kilometres has become a death trap due to persistent banditry activities.
“Several communities within this parameter have remained under constant attacks by the bandits in recent days. Hardly a day passes without a community or two being attacked.
“Residents of some communities around the Gahori Mountain have deserted their homes for fear of being attacked. Right now, even the communities that had agreements with bandits are not being spared.
“The bandits will enter an agreement with a village and collect their money, but later attack them on the slightest provocation. This is the problem we are facing in this part of Zamfara State.”
One of the community leaders, who preferred not to be named, told one of our correspondents that the attack was carried out by bandits loyal to Adamu Aliero.
He alleged that the abduction was a consequence of Zamfara State’s refusal to enter into a peace accord with the armed groups.
“This is their usual pattern. Whenever they reach a peace deal with one community, they simply shift their attacks to neighbouring areas.
“The same thing happened before. When there was a peace agreement in Zamfara, the bandits moved their operations to Katsina.
“After the latest peace deal was brokered last Saturday in Katsina, I knew we would be their next target—because Katsina is our immediate neighbour,” the leader added.
We’re in distress – Residents
Muhammad Tukur Isa, a resident of Kaura Namoda, alleged that both the federal and the state governments were not sincere about fighting banditry.
The scene of bandits attack on Keta community in Tsafe LGA of Zamfara State (File photo)
“We are tired of the game the two governments are playing. All we want is peace. We want to return to our farms and markets and live a normal life. We have been attacked several times, and the bandits have looted all our belongings.
“For years, they have tormented us, and despite our repeated calls to the authorities, no real effort has been made to save our lives. What we saw during the just-concluded bye-election is enough to show that the government is not doing enough in the fight against banditry.
“If the government can deploy adequate personnel and weapons to secure elections in this community, why can’t it provide the same protection for our lives? Sincerely, the election exposed the government’s lapses,” he said.
Another resident, Alhaji Bello Yusuf Tsafe, urged urging the Minister of State for Defence and Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal to work together to tackle the insecurity in the state.
“They need each other, and until they put their heads together, Zamfara people will continue to suffer in the hands of bandits.
“We are praying that one day, these two gentlemen will sit under one roof and strategise on how to end banditry in the state. As the security situation deteriorates, they must put their grievances aside and salvage Zamfara,” he said.
The Sunday’s attack on Godai village in Bukkuyum LGA was said to occur around 3.40am when sporadic shootings by bandits forced residents to flee.
A security expert, Zagazola Makama, on his social media handles, said 12 persons were abducted in the process.
He quoted the Zamfara State Police Command as confirming receiving a distress call from the Divisional Police officer in the area and deploying officers there.
Governor Dauda Lawal had restated his administration’s firm stance against negotiating with bandits.
He had reiterated this during his recent condolence visit to Kagara, Dan Isa and Kasuwar Daji — three communities in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area hit by banditry in August.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, Governor Lawal said the visits were part of his administration’s commitment to prioritising security and standing with victims of violent attacks.
“Since assuming office, I have made it clear: we will not negotiate with those who murder innocent citizens. That position has not changed. These groups have never shown sincerity, and we will not legitimise their actions by engaging them,” he said.
Zamfara asks FG to deploy soldiers
The Special Assistant to Governor Dauda Lawal on Broadcast Media, Alhaji Mustapha Jafaru Kaura, asked the federal government to deploy soldiers in the state like it did during the recent by-elections in the state.
“We have security personnel on the ground, but they cannot engage the bandits until they receive orders from Abuja. While they wait for orders, the bandits are busy killing innocent people, including the security personnel themselves,” Kaura said.
He alleged that Zamfara residents were being attacked daily while troops remained idle due to a lack of directives.
“The same federal government that could not give our soldiers orders to confront bandits deployed three battalions—about 3,000 soldiers—to Kaura Namoda during the recent by-election. They came with heavy weapons, gun tractors, Armoured Personnel Carriers, an Assistant Inspector-General of Police and four Commissioners of Police to protect votes in just six wards,” he said.
“If not politicisation, what stops the federal government from deploying the same resources to fight banditry? Even if they claim Zamfara is under opposition, why are banditry attacks still raging in APC-controlled states like Sokoto, Katsina, Kebbi, and Kaduna?” he asked.
A car burnt during an attack on Marhaba village, Matazu LGA of the Katsina State
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