Bandits Kill Gov's Aide, Five Others, Abduct Women, Children In Zamfara

Unknown gunmen on Sunday invaded Rijiya village in Zamfara State, killed six person and kidnapped some yet-to-be identified women and children.

One of those killed during the invasion was the Political Adviser to Zamfara State Governor, Sani Lawali.

It was gathered that the men of the underworld entered the village in Gusau around noon with motorcycles through Tsafe Local Government Area of the state.

It was learnt that many villagers sustained injures during the attack by the unknown gunmen.

According to an eyewitness, the villagers were taken unaware when the bandits stormed the community and started house to house search for women, as some of the villagers were already on their farms.

"Those who were kidnapped were mostly married women and children, including nursing babies.

“As I am talking, nobody can exactly say the number of people kidnapped as everyone was running helter-skelter for the safety of their lives,” a source said.

According to him, "when we heard gunshots from the village we were apprehensive because we know that nowhere is saved in the state and most of us in the farms quickly ran away for safety.

“I can identify all those killed during the attack, they were one Rufai, Sani Lawali who is a political adviser to the Governor, there is one Murtala whom they shot at the heart and two others that brought intervention but eventually killed by the bandits,” he added.

He said the corpses of those who lost their lives in the attack were in the custody of community members and would be buried according to Islamic injunctions on Monday.

He said about five others who sustained various degrees of injuries have been hospitalized and are receiving medical attention.

As at the time of filing this report, the state Police spokesperson, SP Mohammed Shehu, could not be reached for comment about the incident.