Residents of Matusgi village in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State successfully repelled an attempted abduction by bandits, resulting in the deaths of over 37 attackers.
The incident occurred on Wednesday at around 2 p.m., when a gang of bandits arrived on motorbikes intending to abduct locals. According to a resident who spoke on condition of anonymity, the villagers were prepared for the attack, having been alerted in advance. Although this wasn’t the first time they had confronted bandits, it was the first occasion where they managed to inflict such heavy casualties on the invaders.
The bandits initiated their attack by firing sporadically to instill fear in the community. However, the residents, armed with locally-made firearms and traditional weapons, were ready. They fought back fiercely, initially killing 10 bandits in an intense hour-long battle. Following the skirmish, the villagers regrouped, strategized, and set up an ambush for the bandits, who returned later, leading to the eventual death toll of 37.
Alhaji Ciroma Muhammad, the District Head of Matusgi, confirmed the clash and reported that three villagers lost their lives during the confrontation. He also noted that neighboring villages witnessed the bandits transporting the bodies of their fallen comrades on motorbikes.
“This is the 13th attack on this village,” Alhaji Muhammad revealed. “Just three weeks ago, bandits kidnapped 23 people, mostly women, without firing a single shot until after they had left. We only realized what had happened when we heard gunshots in the distance after their departure.”
He further explained that the bandits demanded a ransom of ₦150,000 per person. Despite the payment, only seven of the abducted women have been released, with the others still in captivity.
In a related development, the Kaduna State government reported that security forces on patrol in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area neutralized eight bandits. According to Samuel Aruwan, the Overseeing Commissioner for the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, the troops encountered the bandits during a fighting patrol in the Kampanin Doka area, killing seven on the spot.
A subsequent search of the area yielded three AK-47 rifles, eight magazines (four loaded with a total of 120 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition), six motorcycles, three mobile phones, two Baofeng radio sets, and three pairs of civilian clothes. In a final encounter in the Gayam area, the troops neutralized one more bandit, while the others fled with gunshot wounds.
