Zamfara State was plunged into mourning on Friday after bandits reportedly killed no fewer than 50 residents of Dutsin Dan Ajiya village in Anka Local Government Area.
Videos circulating online showed rows of bodies wrapped in white cloth ahead of a mass burial, underscoring the scale of the tragedy.
A resident of the community, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said the attackers stormed the village on Thursday night armed with sophisticated weapons. According to him, the gunmen blocked all entry and exit routes before opening fire on villagers.
“After blocking all the roads, the bandits started shooting at sight and the villagers ran in different directions,” he said. “After the attack, we counted about 30 people killed. Some were injured, and many others are still missing.”
However, other reports put the death toll at at least 50. A lawmaker representing Bukkuyum South, Hamisu Faru, said the attackers operated from around 5pm on Thursday until about 3:30am on Friday, burning homes and shooting residents who tried to escape.
“They have been moving from one village to another, leaving at least 50 people dead,” Faru said.
A 41-year-old resident, Abdullahi Sani, said three of his family members were among those killed. “No one slept yesterday; we are all in pain,” he lamented.
Sani added that residents alerted security forces and local authorities after spotting more than 150 motorcycles carrying the attackers, but no immediate help arrived.
Efforts to get a response from the state police spokesperson, Yazid Abubakar, were unsuccessful as calls and messages went unanswered as of press time.
The attack occurred just a day after the Zamfara State Government donated Armoured Personnel Carriers and a drone to security agencies to strengthen the fight against banditry. The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, who received the equipment, had urged troops of the Nigerian Army to take decisive action against bandits and terrorists who refuse to surrender.
Zamfara remains one of several North-Western states grappling with persistent banditry despite ongoing military operations. In recent weeks, similar attacks have been reported in parts of Kebbi, Sokoto and Katsina states, leaving dozens dead and many displaced.
Reacting to the latest killings, the Executive Director of the Foundation for Peace Professionals, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, argued that the violence does not represent a resurgence but rather a continuation of long-standing insecurity.
“I do not think it is a resurgence; it is just the continuation of existing insecurity,” he said, describing Nigeria’s security strategy as largely reactive rather than preventive.
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Hamzat called for the decentralisation of the police force, insisting that the creation of state and local policing structures is necessary to provide sustained protection in rural communities vulnerable to attacks.
Similarly, security expert Akin Adeyi urged the government and military to intensify offensive operations against bandits instead of waiting to repel attacks. He argued that security agencies should proactively disrupt and dismantle armed groups before they strike.
As grieving families prepare to bury their loved ones, residents say fear and uncertainty now hang heavily over Dutsin Dan Ajiya, with many questioning when the cycle of violence will finally end.
