No fewer than 20 people have been killed and many others injured when bandits attacked five communities in two local government areas of Zamfara State.

Residents of the affected communities confirmed the attacks and the casualties toChannels Televisionin an interview on Sunday.

They noted that the bandits, in large numbers, invaded the communities on Saturday afternoon and started shooting sporadically, killing innocent residents in the process.

The affected communities – Gabaken, Rigiya, Donroyi, Torawa, and Riwoji are located in Zurmi and Kaura Namoda local government areas of the state.

“They (the bandits) attacked a village called Gabaken and killed five people; in Torawa, they killed five people. One person was killed in a village called Rigiya; a village called Donroyi in Zurmi Local Government, they killed four people.

“In a village called Riwoji where I come from, they killed four and injured seven people, including my father’s younger brother,” said one of the witnesses, Umar Abubakar.

He added that the injured persons were taken to the general hospitals in Kaura-Namoda, Birnin-Magaji, and Gusau where two of them were later confirmed dead.

‘I Pretended As If I Was Dead’

Another eyewitness, Alhaji Torawa, toldChannels Televisionthat the bandits stormed Torawa community at a time when residents were observing the afternoon prayer.

He noted that the armed men surrounded the area and began to shoot sporadically, lamenting that he lost two of his family members to the attack.

Speaking in his local dialect, Torawa narrated, “They told us bandits have rounded our village. The bandits came into the villages on motorcycles and fired gunshots sporadically, killing many villagers.

“They were many that invaded the villages and two of my family members were among those killed by the bandits.”

“We were inside hiding because the bandits were many … the bandits shot at me and I pretended as if I was dead, that was why they left me,” another victim, Ibrahim Riwoji, recounted his experience.

He added, “I can remember I saw only two other victims by my side.”

Although police authorities in the state have confirmed the attacks, they did not give the number of those killed and injured by the gunmen.

The spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, Mohammed Shehu, noted that police tactical teams have been deployed in the affected areas to restore normalcy in the communities.

He also appealed to the residents to be calm and go about their normal activities, saying the police were on top of the situation. (Channels TV)