Panic and grief have gripped residents of Bunkasau village in the Zarummai ward of Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State following a deadly attack by armed bandits that left several persons feared killed and others abducted.
The assault, which occurred late Friday night, saw heavily armed assailants storm the community in large numbers, unleashing gunfire on unsuspecting residents.
A source in the area disclosed that the attackers, estimated to be about 80 and riding on motorcycles, operated for hours, shooting sporadically while whisking away several villagers, predominantly women.
The gunmen were also said to have rustled livestock during the raid.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, said the community was caught off guard by the invasion, adding that efforts were ongoing to account for missing persons.
He appealed to both the Federal Government and the Zamfara State Government to urgently deploy more security personnel to the area to prevent further attacks and restore calm.
“We are still searching for those who are missing. We need urgent intervention to protect our people,” the source said.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said the command had yet to ascertain the exact number of casualties.
He, however, assured that security operatives had been mobilised to the area to stabilise the situation and forestall further violence.
Abubakar also urged residents to support security agencies with credible and timely information on the activities and movement of suspected bandits to enhance swift response.