| The bandits share their takings with Boko Haram. |
[All Africa] Governor Bello Matawalle has expressed his sadness over the unfortunate incidents.Attacks by suspected bandidos across villages in Zamfara State have left at least 83 persons dead and hundreds of others, including women and kiddies, injured.
Reports on the attacks were given by displaced people, officials and residents of the affected communities.
Most of the attacks, which appeared coordinated, happened on Wednesday in Gusau, Maradun and Bakura local government areas of the troubled North-west state.
PREMIUM TIMES had, the day before the latest attacks, reported apprehension in the Dansadau district of Maru Local Government Area following the killing of 20 people in separate attacks by rival groups in the area.
The sole administrator of Bakura local government , Aminu Suleiman, told news hounds that over 30 people were killed in attacks in Bakura and Maradun.
Mr Suleiman, however, said the deaths were recorded over days of reprisal attacks between members of outlawed vigilante groups and bandidos.
In Magami district, residents Thursday morning said they had recovered 53 corpses. They said the attackers moved from village to village, unleashing mayhem, unchallenged.
There was tension in the area over fears that the button men would return to disrupt the burial of those killed. Residents said many of those killed were vigilantes who tried to defend their villages against the bandidos.
As of the time of filing this report, the residents of many communities were yet to bury their dead as more corpses were being discovered in the area.
Residents said the assailants carried sophisticated weapons and raided the villages on cycle of violence
s. They said most of the villages had earlier been deserted following incessant attacks but that some villagers were returning for the farming season.The affected communities include Gobirawa, Gora, Rini and Madoti Dankule of Maradun and Bakura local government areas.
In the Magami district of Gusau Local Government Area, the affected communities include 'Yar Doka, Kango, Ruwan Dawa, Madaba, Arzikin Da and Mairairai, the closest of which is seven kilometres from Gusau town.
Residents said hostilities persist in the state due to the absence of security agents in the most affected areas. They said this has encouraged extrajudicial killings and reprisal attacks between vigilante members and bandidos.
The state government condemned the attacks in Maradun and Bakura, but has not spoken on the one in Gusau.
The state's Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Dosara, in a statement, said Governor Bello Matawalle was saddened by the unfortunate incidents.
"The government also condoled with the families of those who bit the dust in the sad event and is taking every necessary step to ensure that the culprits are brought to book," Mr Dosara said.
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