Bandits launched a series of attacks on communities in Wanke, near Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, abducting over 100 residents, including a Chief Imam. This is reportedly the second time the Imam has been kidnapped.
According to a local source, the communities were left in disarray following the assault. A survivor, who spoke to the BBC Hausa Service, described the areas as under siege, with many residents fleeing in fear of further violence.
The survivor recounted how around 50 individuals were taken from areas near Sabon Layi, while another 50 were abducted near Dogon Hayi. He emphasized that the tally of missing persons is still underway, with many locals deeply unsettled and seeking safety from further attacks.
“These terrorists were pursuing people like animals,” the witness said, describing scenes of people being chased from their homes. He detailed how bandits on motorbikes traced women to their homes, abducting them or intercepting them as they fled, before herding them into the bush.
The bandits reportedly targeted the villages of Gira, Ruwa Kusa, Dogon Hayi, and Gidan Kado, looting motorcycles, farm produce, and mobile phones. Shops were broken into, and provisions were stolen.
Residents in Wanke reportedly notified officials, but no action was taken, according to local sources. Efforts to obtain a response from the state police on the incident were unsuccessful at the time of this report.
