Dare-devil armed robbers went on rampage on Saturday in Zamfara State, killing no fewer than 19 people at Lingyado village, in Dansadau Emirate of Maru Local Government area of the state.
The incident, which took place in the early hours of the day, left women, children and family heads dead while four persons were presently on admission at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Gusau, arising from injuries sustained during the attack.
The suspected armed robbers were said to have attacked the village at about 5a.m and ransacked the village using sophisticated weapons, including AK-47 rifles.
The attack was alleged to be a retaliatory move by the armed robbers who recently lost some of their gang members in the village.
Daily Sun gathered that about two months ago, a similar attack was launched by people believed to be armed robbers in Tungan Baushe and Guru communities of the state, leaving no fewer than 10 people dead.
A victim of Saturday’s attack, who simply identified himself as Saadu, said he lost his parents and his siblings to the robbers.
Another victim, Ahmed Tsauri Lingyado, said he was able to escape the manhunt when he fled to a nearby corn farm in the village. According to him, he overheard the robbers threatening to kill one woman if she refused to be raped.
“When they entered a house of one Mallam Shehu, they slaughtered him along with his wife, a brother and a son,” another witness said.
Confirming the incident, Emir of Dansadau, Alhaji Hussaini, said he could not ascertain the number of people killed but a reliable source in the emirate disclosed that over 19 people were believed to have been shot dead by the hoodlums.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Mr. Sanusi Amiru, confirmed the incident, saying that a team of policemen had been sent to the area to restore peace and order. He, however, refused to comment more on the incident until he had received clearance from the Commissioner of Police.
