At least five people have been reportedly killed and scores abducted in Kaura Namoda local government area of Zamfara state.

According to locals, bandits raided 16 villages across the local government between Saturday and Sunday.

A local, who pleaded anonymity confided in Daily Trust that, ?Yesterday (Saturday) the armed bandits invaded eight villages comprising Dan ?sa, Kyatawa, Tudu, Gidan Haruna, Tsunburburawa, Gidan Juli, Tokarawa and Gidan Bako. They killed one person in Gidan Haruna and kidnapped eight women.

?Also, today (Sunday) the bandits invaded Kwalau village and killed four people; Abubakar, Murtala, Aminu and Bello, while Ashafa sustained gun shots in his west and jaw. The injured person was rushed to Kaura Namoda General Hospital for treatment.

?What actually happened was that the bandits have turned Kwalau village into their passage whenever they are going for operation. So, yesterday, they passed through the village in the night and raided eight villages around. While they were coming back from the operation, our vigilante operatives denied them access to pass through the village.

?The local security operatives blocked the main entrance of the village and engaged the bandits in gun battle. They spent almost 30 minutes exchanging fire before the bandits retreated and left the scene.

?So, around 10am today (Sunday) the bandits returned to the village in large number with sophisticated weapons. They went straight to a location where members of the vigilante group use to gather in the morning and started shooting.

?They killed four vigilante guards and injured one other. They also abducted scores of women and carted away with some belongings including foodstuffs and other domestic items.?

He explained that residents have deserted their homes for fear of another round of attack, lamenting that there is every possibility of the bandits to stage yet another attack.

Another local, who also craved anonymity, said banditry is on the rise in Kaura Namoda axis, lamenting, ?Hardly a day will pass without hearing about an attack on a village or two. The thing has already gone out of control.

?The bandits are conducting their activities unchecked in this axis as if we do not have security personnel in the state. We are appealing the Government to come to our aid by deploying adequate security personnel to the affected areas to protect Nigerian citizens.? (Daily Trust)

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