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Residents of Matusgi village, Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State, have reportedly confronted bandits who invaded their village and succeeded in killing about 37 of the attackers.
It was gathered that bandits were in the village with the intention of kidnapping residents but met more than they bargained for.
An anonymous resident who spoke with newsmen, said the bandits arrived on motorbikes at about 2 p.m. on Wednesday, but were confronted by residents for the first time.
The villagers inflicted heavy casualties in the bandits, who reportedly began their attack by firing sporadically to intimidate the community.
However, having been privy of the residents armed with locally-made firearms, some villagers fought back, while others used traditional weapons to encircle the area and prevent the bandits from escaping, according to the resident.
It was gathered that the bandits retreated after an hour of intense fighting, with 10 of their members reported dead. The residents then regrouped, strategised, and set up an ambush.
When the bandits returned, the villagers launched another attack, ultimately killing 37 bandits in total.
The District Head of Matusgi, Alhaji Ciroma Muhammad, confirmed the incident, stating that three villagers were killed during the clash. He noted that neighbouring villages reported seeing the bandits transporting the bodies of their fallen comrades on motorbikes.
“This is the 13th time bandits have attacked this village. Three weeks ago, the bandits kidnapped 23 people, mostly women. They carried out the operation quietly, without firing any shots until after they had left. We only became aware of their departure when they fired a few shots in the distance,” Alhaji Muhammad said.
He added that the bandits had demanded a ransom of N150,000 per person. After payment, only seven of the abducted women were released, with the remaining hostages still in captivity.
