Gunmen suspected to be bandits have attacked Tsafe town in Zamfara State, killing two people, while five others sustain various degrees of injuries following a series of gunshots.
The tragedy occurred in the early hours of Sunday when the weekly market was in session. The bandits besieged the town with heavy weapons and began shooting sporadically at innocent people.
A resident of the area who spoke to Radio Nigeria in Gusau, Yusuf Barmo Tsafe, said the bandits attacked the town on market day and launched a reprisal attack on the State Community Protection Guards (CPG) operatives, following the killing of some of their members during an encounter last week.
He added that they only sighted their arrival in large numbers, riding motorcycles, and began shooting sporadically at people, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and serious gunshot wounds for five others.
Yusuf Barmo also mentioned that those injured were currently receiving medical treatment at General Hospital Tsafe.
According to him, during a gun duel with the military, four of the bandits were arrested, one was neutralized, and many fled with gunshot wounds.
Yusuf Barmo Tsafe called on federal and state governments to deploy more troops to the area in order to mitigate the activities of terrorists for peace to thrive, lamenting that the number of security operatives in the area are not enough.
Investigation conducted by Radio Nigeria revealed that, Tsafe, Maru, and Zurmi local governments were facing serious security challenges due to activities of bandits, adding that, Gusau-Tsafe to Funtua federal highway now became a death trap where bandits are attacking and kidnapping travelers on daily basis.
When contacted, the state police command ‘s public relations officer ASP Yazid Abubakar by our correspondent stated that the command was waiting for details from the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in Tsafe local government for press consumption.
COV/SANI DUTSINMA
