Bandits operating in Zamfara State have abducted more than 40 residents in a series of coordinated attacks across communities in Maru Local Government Area over the past two weeks. The assaults, marked by house-to-house kidnappings, have left the region in a state of fear and despair.
Speaking with reporters on Thursday, Alhaji Umar Abdullahi, a resident of Maru town, described how the bandits carried out their latest attack. “Just last week, they stormed our town, starting from the Emir’s palace area, and kidnapped seven persons. Over the past two weeks, more than 40 residents have been taken into captivity,” he revealed.
Abdullahi attributed the escalating attacks to informants aiding the bandits, noting that most victims were prominent individuals within the community. “Our major challenge is the bandits’ informants. This collaboration has made the situation worse,” he lamented.
The bandits are reportedly operating from camps near Bakalori Dam in the Maradun Local Government Area. Usman Abubakar, another resident, described the area as a “colony of banditry,” adding that the attackers now terrorize the entire Maru Local Government Area at will.
Residents have called on the federal and Zamfara State governments to deploy additional troops to the Maradun area to dislodge the bandits and restore peace. The ongoing crisis has deepened fears, especially as Maru has previously been a hotspot for violence, with police officers, including a Divisional Police Officer, killed in earlier attacks.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Zamfara State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time of this report.
