At least seven members of a local vigilante group have been killed, while 38 residents were reportedly abducted after bandits launched a midnight attack on Kaura Namoda town in Zamfara State.
The attackers reportedly stormed the community in the early hours of Saturday, targeting Kofar Zurmi and Old Market areas, and operated for more than three hours before withdrawing.
Chairman of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area, Munnir Haidara, confirmed the killing of seven members of the Joint Task Force (JTF), a local security outfit established to help protect residents from armed attacks.
Haidara said the local government had recruited residents into the outfit and provided them with weapons to defend their communities.
He added that some vigilantes wounded during the confrontation were receiving medical treatment.
On the number of people abducted, the council chairman said officials were still gathering information to establish the exact figure.
“We don’t have the actual number of people abducted during yesterday’s attack. We are still gathering data, but we hope to get the exact figure between now and this evening,” he said.
A resident, Bello Lauwali, said the attackers gained access to the town through an alternative route near a river, allegedly bypassing local security positions and fortifications erected by vigilantes on the outskirts.
According to him, the local security volunteers usually maintained surveillance around the town and sometimes fired warning shots to discourage armed groups from advancing.
Lauwali alleged that the attackers blocked access routes and engaged members of the civilian JTF in a prolonged gun battle, making it difficult for other security personnel to move in without risking an ambush.
The attack has also triggered controversy over whether the movement of people to Kaduna State for the launch of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign contributed to the community’s vulnerability.
Another resident, Zayyanu Usman, alleged that security personnel and vigilantes had been taken to Kaduna for the political event, leaving the town inadequately protected.
“Almost all the security agencies, including the vigilantes, were transported to Kaduna for the campaign. Those left behind were mostly young boys and the bandits took advantage to attack the town,” he claimed.
However, Haidara rejected the allegation, insisting that those who travelled to Kaduna were political supporters and stakeholders, not security operatives.
The chairman said he personally supervised the movement of people in 10 vehicles provided for the trip, maintaining that no security personnel were taken away from their duty posts.
He questioned the rationale behind the claim, arguing that the local government would not deliberately withdraw those responsible for protecting residents to attend a political gathering.
Meanwhile, a hunter identified only as Dutse claimed that the attackers also suffered casualties, alleging that about 15 bandits were killed during the confrontation.
He further claimed that the assailants retrieved the bodies of their dead fighters.
