Kaura Namoda town in Zamfara State has been rocked by a brutal bandit attack, resulting in the deaths of seven members of a local vigilante group and the abduction of an undisclosed number of residents. The assailants reportedly operated for over three hours, having infiltrated the town via a riverine route around midnight on Friday.
Hon. Munnir Haidara, the Chairman of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area, confirmed the killing of the seven Joint Task Force (JTF) members. He stated that the attackers targeted two distinct areas within the town: Kofar Zurmi and the Old Market areas. Haidara revealed that the local government had recently recruited residents into the security outfit and equipped them with weapons specifically to defend their communities.
Casualties and Ongoing Abduction Figures
The chairman also reported that several members of the local security outfit sustained injuries during the confrontation and are currently receiving medical care in various hospitals. Efforts are still underway to ascertain the precise number of residents abducted during the overnight raid.
Haidara commented, "We don’t have the actual number of people abducted during yesterday’s attack. We are still gathering data, but we hope to get the exact figure between now and this evening."
However, a local resident, who spoke to Daily Trust anonymously, suggested that the number of abductees could potentially exceed 30. This individual's claim was supported by a relative of one of the victims, who had confirmed the abduction.
Another resident explained that the bandits exploited an alternative path near the river to access the town, effectively bypassing the areas typically patrolled by local vigilantes. He elaborated that vigilantes usually establish positions on the outskirts of the town, where they construct rudimentary clay fortifications and maintain watch, often firing warning shots until approximately 3 a.m. to deter potential attackers. According to this resident, the bandits adopted a different approach during Friday's assault, allowing them direct entry into the town.
He further alleged that the attackers deliberately blocked key access routes while engaging the civilian JTF members in a protracted gun battle. This tactic reportedly hindered the advancement of official security personnel into the affected zones, as they feared falling into an ambush. The resident claimed that security operatives stationed along the main road fired warning shots into the air but refrained from entering the active combat area.
The resident attributed the vigilantes' disadvantage to their limited firepower, noting their primary reliance on pump-action shotguns and locally manufactured weapons. He also alleged that the bandits invaded the home of an Islamic teacher, where they brutally killed a young boy and subsequently abducted some of the cleric's children.
Controversy Over Security Deployment
A contentious allegation emerged from another resident, who claimed that the movement of security personnel and vigilantes to Kaduna State for the launch of President Bola Tinubu’s second-term campaign contributed significantly to the community’s vulnerability.
"Almost all the security agencies, including the vigilantes, were transported to Kaduna for the campaign. Those left behind were mostly young boys, and the bandits took advantage of the situation to attack the town," the resident alleged.
This resident added that initial figures suggesting more than 15 abductees were based on preliminary information, with residents still working to establish the definitive number.
However, Chairman Haidara categorically refuted these reports, dismissing claims that security personnel responsible for protecting Kaura Namoda had been reassigned to Kaduna for the political event. He clarified that only political supporters and party stakeholders were transported for the campaign, not security operatives. The chairman stated he personally oversaw the departure of those who travelled in ten vehicles provided for the journey.
"I am the chairman of the local government, and I was the one who assigned the people transported in the 10 vehicles given to us to attend the campaign launch of President Tinubu. Everybody taken to Kaduna was a frontline political supporter. We did not take any security personnel," he affirmed.
Haidara questioned the rationality of withdrawing personnel crucial for residents' protection for a political event, insisting that the local government would never intentionally leave the town without adequate security. He maintained that no member of the local security outfit was among those transported to Kaduna.