Villagers in Zamfara repel bandit attack, kill 37 assailants
In a remarkable display of courage and self-defense, the residents of Matusgi village in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State have successfully thwarted a bandit invasion, killing at least 37 of the attackers.
The confrontation took place on Wednesday afternoon and marked a significant victory for the villagers, who have faced repeated assaults by bandits in the past.
According to an anonymous resident, the bandits, who arrived on motorbikes around 2 p.m., intended to abduct locals, a tactic they had employed in previous attacks.
However, this time, the villagers were prepared. “We were alerted in advance and decided to take a stand,” the resident told Daily Trust.
Armed with locally-made firearms and traditional weapons, the villagers encircled the area and fiercely fought back, preventing the bandits from escaping.
The bandits initially attempted to intimidate the villagers with sporadic gunfire, but despite the overwhelming firepower, the residents held their ground.
After an hour of intense fighting, the bandits were forced to retreat, leaving behind ten of their dead.
Refusing to let the attackers regroup, the villagers set up an ambush, which resulted in the deaths of 27 more bandits when they attempted to return.
Alhaji Ciroma Muhammad, the District Head of Matusgi, confirmed the incident and acknowledged the heavy toll on the community.
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“Three of our people were killed during the clash,” he said. Alhaji Muhammad also revealed that the bandits had attacked the village 12 times before this latest incident.
“Three weeks ago, they kidnapped 23 people, mostly women, and demanded a ransom of N150,000 per person.
After payment, only seven women were released, and the rest are still in captivity,” he added.
The District Head expressed deep concern over the frequent attacks and the increasing boldness of the bandits. He noted that neighboring villages had reported seeing the bandits transporting the bodies of their fallen comrades on motorbikes after the clash.
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