Over 37 terror bandits have been killed in Matusgi village, Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State, after angry residents engaged them in a fight following the invasion of their community by the criminal elements.
A resident who doesn’t want to be quoted said that the bandits arrived on motorbikes around 2pm on Wednesday, aiming to carry out abductions.
The resident said it was not the first time the villagers had confronted bandits, but it was the first instance where they managed to inflict significant casualties on the armed gang.
The villagers, forewarned of the impending attack, prepared themselves by arming with a mix of locally-made firearms and traditional weapons.
Initially, the bandits attempted to intimidate the villagers by firing sporadically upon arrival. However, the villagers, having anticipated this move, were ready to counterattack.
After an intense hour-long battle, the bandits were forced to retreat, leaving behind 10 of their dead comrades. The villagers, undeterred, regrouped and laid an ambush for the gang. When the bandits attempted to regroup and return, the villagers struck again, bringing the total number of bandits killed to 37.
Alhaji Ciroma Muhammad, the District Head of Matusgi, confirmed the clash and noted that three villagers lost their lives in the encounter.
He mentioned that neighboring communities reported seeing the bandits transporting the bodies of their fallen on motorbikes.
“This marks the 13th attack on our village by these bandits,” Alhaji Muhammad stated. “Only three weeks ago, they kidnapped 23 residents, mostly women, without firing a shot until they were leaving. The ransom was set at N150,000 per person, but only seven women have been released so far, with the others still held captive.”