Gunmen kill seven, destroy properties, block major road in Zamfara


Gunmen suspected to be bandits operating along Shinkafi-Moriki-Kaura Namoda road in Zamfara State have blocked the road, attacking passengers where they killed no fewer than seven people and set many vehicles and food items on fire.


A resident of the area, Musa Shuaibu confirmed to the Punch that the bandits have succeeded in attacking 15 vehicles and set five of the vehicles ablaze.


Shuaibu said, “They have abducted many passengers from these vehicles and moved away with them to an unknown destination.”


Some of the affected vehicles, according to him, included three golf cars, one heavy truck conveying tomatoes, and a Sharon vehicle.


He maintained that the bandits have been on the road since Wednesday last week, lamenting that “they have set ablaze five vehicles and goods worth millions of Naira and also damaged many vehicles”.


Shuaibu also stated that the road was almost deserted, explaining that, “Nobody can pass through that road unless it becomes absolutely compulsory”.


“You will hardly see motorists plying the road because of the heavy presence of the bandits under their leader Bello Turji.”


Efforts to reach the Police Command failed because the spokesperson of the command, SP Mohammed Shehu, could not be reached on phone.