Suspected bandits on Tuesday killed over 30 members of the local vigilantes otherwise known as Yan Sakai in a gunfight near Gidan Dan Inna community in Auki district, Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
A resident of the community whose brothers were killed, Idris Ambomade narrated the incident to reporters in an interview.
He pointed out that bandits were attacking communities, including Gidan Inna village, and were rustling cows and other animals, just as they shot dead some aggrieved members of the community whose animals were being rustled.
Africa Daily News, New York gathered that angered by the unlawful display by the bandits, the head of the vigilante group known as Yan Sakai in the community, Umar Sanielema mobilised his team to go after the bandits, to at least recover their cows from bandits.
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‘Within half an hour, the vigilantes mobilized themselves and gave the rustlers a hot chase on motorbikes.’ He said
Ambomad said when the armed bandits realized that they were being pursued, they divided themselves into two, one group was asked to herd the stolen animals into the forest, while the other group then lurked around to lay ambush waiting for the vigilantes who were approaching.
According to him, as soon as they noticed the presence of vigilantes riding on motorcycles, the bandits opened fire on them and killed over 30 on the spot.
He said the remains of the slain vigilantes who were from more than 10 communities were later retrieved for burial at their respective villages.
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the state Police Command, SP Muhammad Shehu did not pick his call nor respond to a text message sent to him for confirmation.
