Gunmen killed 14 persons in an attack on Karaye village in Gwalli district in Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Residents said dozens of armed men arrived the village on motorcycles around 9pm, firing at residents. They also burnt houses, shops, grain silos and other properties in the community.

A resident, Mustapha Aminu, said the gunmen had earlier attacked Kurfa village in the district, where they seized dozens of motorbikes from residents and looted shops.

Tension in the area heightened in the past few weeks as the bandits were seeing moving to a forest in the district, it was gathered.

There has been a lull in respect of attacks since the peace deal was struck in June this year. The armed bandits had agreed to halt attacks after the local vigilante groups known as Yan Sakai, stopped extra judicial executions of suspected bandits, especially in rural markets.

The peace deal saw the unconditional release of hundreds of captives by both sides in the last five months.

Zamfara State Police Command confirmed the latest attack, but said it was a reprisal. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Muhammad Shehu, said, “recall that on November 3, 2019, some vigilante; Yan Sakai, around Bardoki village in same Gummi Local Government Area, attacked and killed nine Fulani on suspicion that they were bandits.

“The Command swung into action and arrested 11 members of Yan Sakai, who actively participated in the actual killing of the Fulani, that led to yesterday’s  incident. They are being investigated by the State CID, Gusau. They would be charged to court for prosecution in order to serve as deterrent to others.

“A combined team made up of men of Operation Puff Adder, Operation  Hadarin Daji and vigilante led by the DPO, Gummi, mobilised to the scene and  embarked  on extensive bush combing with a view to trailing and arresting the perpetrators”.

He said investigation into the incident is on going and that anyone found wanting would  be made to face the full wrath of the law.

The Command called on members of the public to desist from taking laws into their hands, as it would not hesitate to deal with any person or group of persons found sabotaging the relative peace in the state.

Daily Trust