From ATTAHIRU AHMED, Gusau

Zamfara State police command has disclosed that cattle rustlers killed 20 people, including a police corporal who lost his life during the gun battle in the two communities in the state. Saturday Sun gathered that suspected cattle rustlers attacked Tungar Bawo and Bingi communities in Maru Emirate Council in the state at night where 20 people including a police corporal were killed on the spot.

Speaking in an interview with Saturday Sun in Gusau, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), DSP Lawal Abdullahi disclosed that the cattle rustlers also suffered casualties. It was learnt that the hoodlums were believed to be on reprisal mission, as two of their members were recently attacked and killed in the state. According to sources, the hoodlums, who were fully armed with weapons, had entered the two villages with motorcycles and started shooting sporadically before they carted away cattle in the two communities.

It was reported that the police arrived at one of the communities for intervention but finally lost a colleague in a shoot-out with the suspected hoodlums. Meanwhile, APC in the state has sent a delegation to condole with the people of Maru Emirate over the tragic incident and appealed for calm. The APC delegation, headed by the publicity secretary, Alhaji Sani Gwamna Mayanchi, described the incident as tragic and barbaric especially, with the way and manner the victims were gruesomely murdered.

He added that very soon another delegation possibly headed by the governor himself would visit the two communities to tender material and financial support to the families of the victims. According to him, the state Emergency Management Agency in conjunction with its federal counterpart will be coming to issue some relief materials to the families of the victims.


Source: Sun