Bandits have abducted over 40 residents from communities in Zamfara State’s Maru Local Government Area during a series of attacks over the past two weeks.
In a telephone interview on Thursday, Alhaji Umar Abdullahi, a resident of Maru town, expressed concern over the escalating situation. The bandits have been raiding local communities, including the town’s headquarters, and conducting house-to-house searches. Last week, seven people were abducted in a raid near the Emir’s palace.
Abdullahi linked the frequent attacks to informants working with the bandits, as many of the victims are prominent figures in the community. “We are in serious trouble as the bandits continue to terrorize the area. Over 40 people remain in their camps,” he said, adding that the bandits are operating from camps behind Bakalori Dam in Maradun Local Government Area.
He called for immediate action from the federal and state governments, urging the deployment of additional troops to dislodge the bandits from their camps. Another local resident, Usman Abubakar, described the local government as a “colony of banditry,” noting that the violence has spread throughout the state over the past decade.
In recent months, Maru has witnessed several violent attacks, including the killing of police officers, further heightening the fear in the community. Efforts to obtain a comment from the Zamfara State Police Command were unsuccessful at the time of this report.
