Terrorists Attack Farmers For 9 Hours, Kill Seven In Northwest Nigeria

Terrorists had a field day, Sunday morning, June 13, 2021 attacking farmers and villagers of Rogoji, Kurunkudu, Dankaiwa, Fagi, and Mallamawa villages of Bakura Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Northwest Nigeria.

The terrorists who operated for nine hours between 9:30 a.m to 5 p.m without interruption from any security agents killed seven persons, including a police officer, and injured 23 others. 

“They rustled a large number of animals including 300 cattle, camels, and donkeys, leaving behind seven persons dead including a police officer and 23 people injured,” an eyewitness who gave his name as Malam Hamza told HumAngle. 

Sources said the police officer who was identified as Lema Musa, was killed by the terrorists while in a Police truck at the Bakura junction checkpoint. Musa is an indigene of Gayari District, Gummi Local Government Area of the state.

“They outran him in his effort to escape from the terrorists group that besieged the junction,”  said a source who disclosed that the slain officer was attached to the Bakura Police Divisional Headquarters.

The attackers were believed to be from various terror groups who have been operating in Kuji forest neighbouring Maradun, Shinkafi, and Isa Local Government areas of Zamfara and Sokoto states, Northwest Nigeria. Sources say they have ties with terror groups in the Niger Republic. 

The Sunday’s attack follows the massive outing by the farmers on their respective farms following a heavy downpour on Saturday night, marking the commencement of the long awaited farming season. 

Local sources told HumAngle that residents of the villages and those from Bakura town had earlier observed the influx of the terrorists.

Bala Dankaiwa, an eyewitness said “the groups operated separately in coordinated batches. We reported to the Divisional Police Headquarters in Bakura, but no help could come from the security operatives.”

One of the injured, Shehu Magaji, disclosed that he was attacked while coming from Kurunkudu to Bakura, the local government headquarters of the area. 

According to him “the terrorists were about seven in their batch, each holding an AK-47.”

“As I saw them with motorcycles, I ran away but outran me and attacked me subsequently.”

They asked me to give them money. I had only N50, pen, and file at the time. They confiscated the N50 and beat me leaving me with serious injuries, as you can see my body with blood bleeding from my head to down,” Magaji narrated his ordeal.

He added that another batch started a house-to-house operation in search of cows to rustle and women to kidnap. 

“From the places where the incident happened are not up to a kilometre away from Bakura town, our Local Government headquarters,” he added. 

He lamented that after the attack, the terrorists moved freely to their den through their usual routes to Kuji village unchallenged.

The attack came about 48 hours after HumAngle reported that terrorists demanded levy from villagers of Kurunkudu and Dankaiwa to avert the planned attack.

HumAngle was informed that the terrorist groups have been living in Kuji village located about five kilometres away from the local government headquarters in Zamfara State.