Bandits Slay 20 in Fresh Killings in Zamfara

By Onuminya Innocent

Bandits have killed 20 persons in Tungar Kwana, a village in Zamfara State, for giving information to security agencies about their operations.

Although sources in the village situated in Talata-Mafara Local Government Area (LGA) of the state said 22 people were killed on Tuesday night, the state police command confirmed 20 deaths.
The attackers, numbering over 100, were said to have invaded the village around midnight and shot people indiscriminately.

A source in the village said the 22 people, including children and women, were killed instantly, while others were injured.

The injured victims, according to him, are receiving treatment in the hospital.
The bandits also reportedly stole many cows, sheep, goats and foodstuffs after the village was deserted for fear of their return.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the police command, Mr. Mohammed Shehu, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said: “The police have confirmed the killing of 20 people in that village but not 22.”

Shehu explained that the bandits targeted the villagers because they gave information to security agents, which led to the killing of some of the criminals last week.

“The villagers told the security agents useful information about some bandits who rustled cows last week and the information had assisted greatly in locating and killing many of them.

“Since that time, the bandits were targeting the villagers in order to avenge the killing of their people,” he said.

He said the police had drafted a squad to the village to arrest the bandits and bring them to justice.