Residents of the farming community of Jangebe in Talata Mafara Local Government Area in Zamfara State have been thrown into mourning following a gruesome attack by armed bandits on Friday afternoon.
The ugly incident had left no fewer than nine persons dead, including five members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guards (ZCPG) and their commander, Garba Dogo.
Several residents were abducted during the attack.
According to eyewitnesses and local officials, the victims were ambushed while working on their farms. The attackers, reportedly riding motorcycles and heavily armed, descended on the area in broad daylight, opening fire and abducting residents in a siege that lasted nearly two hours.
Among the deceased were members of the local vigilante group tasked with protecting the community from such incursions.
Commander Garba Dogo, a respected figure in the region’s security efforts, was said to have died alongside his colleagues in a valiant attempt to defend the farmers.
Residence described the situation as dire, stating that over 100 people, including women and children, may have been taken by the assailants. “As I’m speaking to you right now, they are searching house-to-house, abducting people,” a resident told newsmen.
The Talata Mafara district administrator, confirmed the death toll and expressed deep concern over the growing insecurity. “Everybody is now afraid of going to the farm for fear of being attacked,” said one resident, echoing the widespread anxiety gripping the community.
This latest tragedy underscores the persistent threat posed by bandit gangs in Nigeria’s northwest, where clashes over land and resources have evolved into a broader crisis fueled by arms trafficking and lawlessness.