Residents Confront Bandits, Kill 37

By Olamilekan Adigun

No fewer than 37 bandits were reportedly killed by residents of Matusgi village, Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State, who engaged the gunmen when they invaded their village.

The bandits, it was gathered, were in the village with the intent to abduct locals.

A resident of the village who spoke under condition of anonymity said the bandits arrived on motorbikes around 2 p.m. on Wednesday, aiming to carry out abductions, saying it was not the first time the villagers had confronted bandits, but it was the first instance where they managed to inflict significant casualties.

The resident said the bandits began their attack by firing sporadically to intimidate the community.

But the residents who had been alerted in advance, were prepared when the bandits arrived.

Armed with locally-made firearms, some villagers fought back, while others used traditional weapons to encircle the area and prevent the bandits from escaping, according to the resident.

It was gathered that the bandits retreated after an hour of intense fighting, with 10 of their members reported dead. The residents then regrouped, strategised, and set up an ambush.

When the bandits returned, the villagers launched another attack, ultimately killing 37 bandits in total.

The District Head of Matusgi, Alhaji Ciroma Muhammad, confirmed the incident, stating that three villagers were killed during the clash. He noted that neighbouring villages reported seeing the bandits transporting the bodies of their fallen comrades on motorbikes.

“This is the 13th time bandits have attacked this village,” Alhaji Muhammad said. “Three weeks ago, the bandits kidnapped 23 people, mostly women. They carried out the operation quietly, without firing any shots until after they had left. We only became aware of their departure when they fired a few shots in the distance.”

He added that the bandits had demanded a ransom of N150,000 per person. After payment, only seven of the abducted women were released, with the remaining hostages still in captivity.