Several communities in Zamfara State have been plunged into mourning following a series of violent attacks between Thursday and Friday, resulting in multiple deaths, injuries, and mass displacement.
The attacks, reportedly carried out by suspected bandits, targeted villages in Talata-Mafara, Bukkuyum, and Kaura-Namoda Local Government Areas (LGAs), according to security analyst Zagazola Makama, who shared the details on X.
In Tudun-Biri village, Talata-Mafara LGA, armed men stormed a Fulani settlement around 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, setting houses ablaze. One resident was killed, while several others managed to escape.
Eyewitnesses described the assailants arriving in large numbers, torching huts, and causing widespread destruction, forcing many to flee to nearby villages.
Later that evening, around 6:32 p.m., gunmen attacked a Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) camp in Gurusu, Bukkuyum LGA. The vigilantes fiercely resisted, engaging the attackers in a gun battle.
Three CJTF members and three community residents lost their lives, while one CJTF operative was abducted and four others sustained gunshot wounds.
Despite casualties, the attackers eventually retreated into the forest, though concerns remain over possible reprisal attacks.
Another raid occurred at midnight on March 21 in Gidan Fulani village, Kaura-Namoda LGA. Armed men stormed the community, firing warning shots before rustling an unspecified number of cattle.
Security forces are reportedly making efforts to track down the assailants and recover the stolen livestock.
Surveillance has been intensified in the affected areas, with local vigilantes increasing patrols to prevent further incidents.
Meanwhile, the Zamfara State Police Command has yet to release an official statement on the attacks.
