How robbers’ violence-spree crippled Zamfara community …Over 10 hospitalized with bullet-wounds

Villagers in communities within Dansadau in Maru Local Government of Zamfara State were traumatized when gangs of suspected armed robbers shot 10 people to death and inflicted serious gunshot wounds on scores of others during a predawn attack last Tuesday. The attack was believed to be carried out in retaliation to a community-wide campaign against […]

Villagers in communities within Dansadau in Maru Local Government of Zamfara State were traumatized when gangs of suspected armed robbers shot 10 people to death and inflicted serious gunshot wounds on scores of others during a predawn attack last Tuesday. The attack was believed to be carried out in retaliation to a community-wide campaign against armed robbers by members of the affected villages late July, which reportedly led to the killing of dozens of suspected armed robbers through mob justice.

The rampaging robbers invaded Dansadau when their inhabitants were asleep and proceeded to fish out community leaders, known vigilante members and other individuals suspected of having a hand in the earlier attack on them.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers used AK 47 rifles and other automatic weapons to wage the fatal attacks. Similarly, they were accused of maltreating and raping housewives after their husbands had fled for their lives. Some of the survivors, now being treated for gunshot wounds at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Gusau, said they were shot while trying to escape.

Dansadau is said to be notorious for armed robbery and the criminals were reported to have been living an untouchable life in parts of the kingdom, even as they allegedly steal, maim and kill with impunity. The suspected criminals have no-go-areas when it comes to their illegal trade, because they don’t spare even the locals – with whom they are fairly acquainted – let alone strangers or passersby, it was gathered.

The stranglehold enjoyed by the bandits on the community was said to have fuelled suspicion among the villagers, who accused some traditional rulers in the area of harbouring or shielding the outlaws. However, the people were able to come together, three weeks ago, with a unanimous decision to take the war to the robbers and their perceived sympathizers by way of mobilizing and empowering vigilante teams to wipe them out, it was gathered.

According to sources individual villages tax their members certain amounts to be paid to the teams for the operation, which reportedly lasted days, targeting hardened criminals, notorious armed robbers and even repentant thieves. It was gathered that the operation was done in an extremely extra judicial fashion, where the suspects were allegedly traced to their respective abodes, and in some occasions, wrestled to the ground before members of their families and household and slaughtered. Some of the bodies were said to be dragged out and set ablaze.

Some traditional rulers have to flee their domains for fear of being lynched by their unhappy subjects over their alleged patronage of the suspected criminals.  Weekly Trust was informed that members of the community were generally satisfied with the manner the robbers were being ‘eliminated’ from the area, as a father was said to have led the vigilante men to his son’s hiding place and offered them a stipend to get rid of him for being a ‘robber’, which they reportedly complied. Following the exercise, the community members heave a sigh of relief and celebrated the vigilante members.

The elation of the Dansadau people however, short-lived when some suspects, who were not killed in the manhunt, allegedly mobilized some other robbers from other parts of the state and launched the Tuesday attack, creating a reversed situation where the hunter is now being hunted. According to survivors, the retaliation wreaks more havoc in Guru and Tungar Baushe.

In his account from his hospital bed, Mande Adamu, who was shot in the thigh, said the attackers stormed his Tungar Baushe village around 5am. “We have had our predawn Ramadan meal and retired back to bed, when very luckily for me, my wives who did not sleep had gunshots and screams in my neighbour’s house and alerted me. When I got out of the house, I saw dozens of armed men approaching my position and without wasting time, I scaled over a neighbour’s fence. But before I could drop, they have started firing at me. I scaled over two more fences with them on my trail and shooting,” he narrated.

The victim added that as he got out into the open, trying to dash into the bush, the assailants got him. “They shot me in the thigh and I gave out a loud cry. That was when they thought I have been killed and abandoned the chase on me.”

About half a dozen of the victims were admitted at FMC Gusau A&E Ward with gunshot injuries, some of them in visibly critical condition. Another victim barely managed to reveal that a bullet was still lodged in a gaping hole in his buttocks. Also in his account, a vigilante member from Guru, Malam Muhammad, equally disclosed that not for his wives, who intimated him, he would have been killed in the attack.

When asked if he thinks they were on a revenge attack, Malam Muhammad said: “I have no doubt, it was. The attack was centred only on men. They only raped the women,” he said, adding “even my younger brother’s wife was raped after she was slapped for not cooperating.”

The vigilante official however denied taking part in the extra-judicial killing of the robbers that was believed to have led to the attack, saying “when it took place, our group was not formed yet.” He added that, it was after the collective attack on the suspected robbers that their local Fulani chief advised them to form a vigilante team for the protection of their community.

With the new development, Malam Muhammad feared that they may never go back to the community or continue with the attack on the robbers as earlier planned. “They have killed many people, including our local Fulani chief, Fulani Dangajere and other prominent individuals,” he said. He further pointed out that not only vigilante official were targeted in the attack. “In Guru for instance, I have learnt that out of the nine they killed, only one person is a vigilante member,” according to him.

Tuesday’s deadly attack came three days after a visit to the state by the Inspector-General of Police Hafiz Ringim, where he received 20 patrol vehicles donating to the police for curbing crime in the state by the people and government of Zamfara State.   Meanwhile, the Zamfara State Police Command Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sanusi Amiru, has confirmed the arrest of three vigilante members from Dansadau in connection with the “extra-judicial killing of the robbers,” three weeks ago. He however said he personally was not aware of the said retaliatory attack. “The commissioner might have been briefed of it, but I’m not aware such thing has occurred because no such report was sent to my desk,” he said.