Herdsmen, Bandits Kill 70 …23 In Zamfara, 18 In Plateau, 17 In Benue, 12 In Adamawa

Barely one week after the killing of 26 persons in a community in Zamfara State, cattle thieves have killed another 23 people in the state which has been battling cattle rustling and kidnapping in recent months, a local government official said late Saturday.
The Chairman of Anka Local Government Area, Mustapha Muhammad, said armed bandits on motorcycles invaded Zakuna village in the state, last Friday, opening fire on residents and burning homes.
“We buried 23 people killed in the attack, including vigilantes who tried to fight off the bandits”, he said.
“They torched homes and burnt some of their victims alive before fleeing into the bush”.
Muhammad said the gunmen had earlier last Friday invaded the remote village, carting away some cattle but were forced to flee by local vigilantes who fought them off and reclaimed the stolen herd.
Hours later, the thieves mobilised more men and returned to the village, 160 kilometres from the state capital, Gusau, where they opened fire and burnt homes.
The Public Relations Officer of the Zamfara State Police Command, Mr. Muhammad Shehu, confirmed that the police had recovered 15 bodies from the village following the attack.
“Most of the victims were vigilantes who put up a fight against the bandits,” he said.
Cattle rustlers have for several years been terrorising herding and farming villages in the state, stealing herds and killing residents who resist them.
The attacks prompted villagers to form vigilante groups to fight off the bandits.
The vigilantes have also been accused of abuses and killings of suspected thieves, prompting reprisals.
In recent years, the gangs have turned to kidnapping for ransom, prompting government to deploy troops to the affected communities, but the criminals attacks persist.
The state has witnessed repeated attacks in recent times that have left scores dead.
Shehu said the attackers invaded Zakuna in the early hours of June 1, and stole cows belonging to the villagers.
According to him, a vigilance group known as Yansakai, challenged the rustlers, forcing them to flee only for the bandits to reinforce and attack the village, killing 15 people.
He said: “On receiving the reports of the attack, the police mobilised officers to the village and discovered 15 bodies, majority of whom were members of the Yansakai group.
“The police have, however, increased security in the area to restore peace and stability.
“Bush combing and rigorous patrol is being carried out throughout the area by the police to avoid further loss of lives.”
Shehu said the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kenneth Ebrimson, had ordered investigations into the latest incident to apprehend the perpetrators.
However, three persons have been killed in the attacks carried out on a community identified as Kura Falls, Gashish District in the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Casualties were said to have been recorded during two separate attacks between Friday night and Saturday morning.
The spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, Matthias Tyopev, confirmed the attacks on Saturday in an interview with newsmen.
He said: “We received information this morning (Saturday) at about 7am that residents were attacked in Kura Falls yesterday (Friday) at about 9.30pm and early this morning by unknown gunmen, which resulted in the death of three persons.
“They are Dawala Bullet (30), Fidelis Richard (31) and Iliya Doro (60), all male of the same address. We have mobilised police officers to the district (Gashish). An investigation is underway to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.”
Similarly, no fewer than 10 persons have been killed and several persons injured in a war that erupted between cult groups in Otukpo, Benue State.
It was gathered that some of the victims were killed at a popular drug joint known as Banana Island.
Also, the Chairman, Kwande Local Government Council of Benue, Mr Terdoo Kenti, has confirmed the killing of seven persons and injury of six others by suspected herdsmen.
Kenti said on telephone, yesterday, in Makurdi that the attackers also abducted a woman during the incident, last Saturday night at Tseadough village.
Tseadough is a village in Mbachom, Yaav Council Ward near Jato Aka, the ancestral home of Tiv people in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue.
He added that the attackers also burnt down several houses in the community.
Kenti said that the yet to be identified gunmen came unnoticed on the fateful night.
Meanwhile, 12 persons have been reported killed in an ambush by suspected herdsmen on Kangling village in Adamawa State.
The Acting Chairman of Girei Local Government Area, Mr Vincent Pasari, confirmed the attack in an interview with newsmen, last Saturday.