At least 11 people have been confirmed dead following a deadly bandit attack on Ware community in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The attack occurred when armed men stormed the village and opened fire on residents, triggering panic and forcing survivors to flee.
Confirming the incident, a member of the Zamfara State House of Assembly representing Tsafe West Constituency, Amiru Ahmad Keta, told journalists that the bodies of 11 victims had so far been recovered and transported to Keta village for burial.
“The bandits entered Ware village and killed an unspecified number of people. So far, eleven dead bodies have been conveyed to Keta village. I even have a short video; the corpses were moved in wheelbarrows for burial,” Keta said.
He explained that efforts to recover more bodies were halted after the attackers chased away residents attempting to evacuate victims.
“Right now, people who went to evacuate the dead bodies have stopped because the bandits chased them away. We don’t know the exact number of people killed, and no single security agency has been able to access Ware village,” the lawmaker added.
Keta further disclosed that a Nigerian Army Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was destroyed after running into an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) along the Keta–Danjibga road in Tsafe Local Government Area.
According to him, troops were escorting civilian vehicles through the high-risk route when the explosion occurred. The soldiers reportedly withdrew from the area after the blast, after which the attackers allegedly returned and set the damaged APC ablaze.
Zamfara is one of several north-western states battling persistent banditry, often linked to violent struggles over resources and criminal control of rural communities. Other affected states include Kebbi, Kaduna, Sokoto and Katsina.
In a related development, gunmen recently killed dozens of people and razed seven villages during coordinated raids in Kebbi State.
Police spokesman Bashir Usman said members of the Lakurawa group attacked villages in the Bui district of Arewa Local Government Area on Wednesday.
“Scores of people were killed as residents from Mamunu, Awasaka, Tungan Tsoho, Makangara, Kanzo, Gorun Naidal and Dan Mai Ago mobilised to resist the attackers,” Usman said.
A resident of Kanzo village claimed that at least 35 people were killed during the assault.
“We were in our homes when we heard gunshots. People started running for safety, and some were hit by bullets,” the resident said.
Police added that the attackers also made away with several cattle during the raids.
