Armed bandits reportedly kill at least 50 residents in Zamfara State, after hours of overnight assault...

Zamfara State was plunged into mourning on Friday after armed bandits reportedly killed no fewer than 50 residents of Dutsin Dan Ajiya village in Anka Local Government Area.

A video obtained by The PUNCH showed bodies of victims wrapped in white shrouds and arranged for mass burial, underscoring the scale of the tragedy.

CBI News reports that residents said the attackers, armed with sophisticated weapons, stormed the community on Thursday night and unleashed hours of terror.

A local resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, alleged that the gunmen first sealed off all access routes to prevent escape before opening fire indiscriminately.

“After blocking all the roads, the bandits started to shoot at sight and the villagers ran helter-skelter,” he said.

“After the attack, we realised that 30 people were killed; some were wounded, while several others are at large and nobody knows their whereabouts.”

However, Reuters quoted a lawmaker representing Bukkuyum South, Hamisu Faru, as confirming that at least 50 people were killed.

According to Faru, the attackers invaded the

village around 5 p.m. on Thursday and sustained the assault until about 3:30 a.m. on Friday, burning buildings and shooting residents attempting to flee.

“They have been moving from one village to another leaving at least 50 people dead,” Faru said.

A 41-year-old resident, Abdullahi Sani, disclosed that three members of his family were among the victims.

“No one slept yesterday, we are all in pain,” he lamented.

Sani further claimed that villagers had alerted security operatives and local authorities after spotting more than 150 motorcycles transporting the gunmen, but said no assistance arrived.

Efforts to reach the Zamfara State Police spokesperson, Yazid Abubakar, were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages were not answered as of press time.

The attack came less than 24 hours after the Zamfara State Government donated Armoured Personnel Carriers and a drone to security agencies to strengthen the fight against banditry.

The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa (rtd), who received the equipment, had urged troops to take decisive action against bandits unwilling to surrender.

Zamfara remains one of several North-West states grappling with persistent bandit attacks despite ongoing military operations.

On Wednesday, suspected Lakurawa terrorists reportedly killed 33 residents in Kebbi State, while five people were slain in Sokoto State on February 13.

Earlier this month, 21 residents were killed in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Reacting to the latest killings, the Executive Director of the Foundation for Peace Professionals, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, dismissed claims that the violence marked a resurgence.

“I do not think it is a resurgence; it is just the continuation of existing insecurity,” he said.

Hamzat criticised the nation’s security framework as reactive and overstretched.

“Our security approach has always been about responding to situations as they happen. The security has been overstretched; before they effectively complete an operation in one location, they’re deployed to other places with more pressing demands.”

He advocated decentralising policing, stressing that state and local security structures are vital to addressing insecurity in remote communities.

“Without a permanent, localised security presence that understands the terrain and maintains constant vigil, the cycle of killings will continue,” he warned.

Another security expert, Akin Adeyi, urged the Federal Government to shift from a defensive posture to a more aggressive strategy against bandits.

He linked the spread of attacks to the December 25, 2025 U.S. strike on bandit camps, which he claimed forced the criminals to disperse into new territories.