A group of suspected cattle rustlers have reportedly killed about 42 people and destroyed properties worth millions of naira in Gidan Kaso town of Birnin Magaji Local Government area of Zamfara state.
According to eyewitness account, the cattle rustlers had attacked the village and demanded the villagers to either surrender their animals to them or be killed. While some complied with the directive, others declined and were shot.
“For the past 20 days now, these people have been threatening the residents of this town that they will attack it, and since then, the people have not been themselves following the fear put in their minds by the threat,” Vanguard quoted an eyewitness as saying. He also said the attack came following the killing of one of the colleagues of the hoodlums.
“Immediately the hoodlums entered into the town, they opened fire indiscriminately on whoever they came across, irrespective of sex, as one woman was among the already killed people,” a resident of the town identified as sahabi mai taya said.
According to Sahabi, he lost one of his relatives in the attack and all his farm products were destroyed.
Chairman of the Local Government Council, Alhaji Aminu Sani Jaja confirmed the attack to Vanguard, but said only 15 people were killed and three houses burnt to ashes including that of the chairman vigilante group of the area.
According to Jaja, those killed have been buried, while those with injuries were receiving a medical treatment at various health institution around the local government.
The chairman advised the people to always report any suspicious movement to the nearest authorities. He also called for prayers in the town, the local government, the state and the country as a whole.
