Bandits kill Zamfara district head, five others, children, women abducted

A district head in Zamfara State, Alhaji Umaru Bawan Allah, has been shot dead in an attack on Gada community in the Maru Local Government Area by bandits.

Five other persons were reportedly killed in the attack which happened in the early hours of Wednesday.

Residents said dozens of armed men stormed the community around 1am and went house to house, picking identified targets and shooting them dead.

The criminals also abducted unspecified number of people, including women and children, captured when they were trying to escape.

“However, the with the combined efforts of the local vigilantes and the security operatives the abducted residents were rescued.”

“The armed men were intercepted at a spot near Karakkai community. The security operatives mobilised and the local vigilante helped to block their passage.

“After a heavy gunfight, the armed criminals abandoned the abducted victims probably because they were out gunned and out numbered,” a resident identified Aliyu said.

Spokesman for the state police command, SP Muhammad Shehu, could not be reached for comment at the time of filing this report.