Gunmen kill 7 soldiers, 43 others in Zamfara

Prosper

Gusau — About 50 people, including seven soldiers, were reportedly killed in Zamfara State yesterday by gunmen suspected to be cattle rustlers.

Ammunitions used the Boko Haram insurgents

The attackers were also alleged to have burnt some houses and destroyed other property worth millions of naira.

According to police sources, the alleged reprisal attack, believed to be the deadliest in recent times, occurred at Lilo town in Gusau Local Government Area of the state.

Vanguard learnt that the incident followed the recent killing of some rustlers by some people in the area.

Eye witnesses told Vanguard that the attackers stormed the area when everybody was going about their businesses and opened fire at anybody on sight.

“They just entered the town armed with sophisticated weapons and before we knew it, they had started shooting whoever they came across, which also led to the death of soldiers on surveillance who confronted them,” it was said.

Vanguard reliably gathered that hundreds of the victims who sustained injuries were currently receiving treatment at Mada Hospital in the state.

“We have lost so many things, especially lives,” one Sa’adu Musa, a resident of the town, who narrowly escaped death told Vanguard.

Musa, who sobbed as he spoke said: “Just few hours after I left, a phone call came to me that I should not go back to Lilo because it has been overtaken by enemies. I fainted because I knew how I left my family.”

He said the town had been deserted as those who survived the attack had since taken refuge at nearby villages, including Mada town and Kwatarkwashi for fear of further attack on them.

Musa told Vanguard that he left the town for another neighbouring village to see one of his friends when the rustlers struck.

Spokesman of the state Police Command, DSP Lawal Abdullahi, confirmed the attack but explained that only eight people were killed while another eight were injured.

Abdullahi also confirmed the burning of some houses and the stealing of 92 cows by the suspects, pointing out that the command had started investigations into the matter.

“The command is still investigating this painful incident. We are yet to make any arrest but by God’s grace, we will fish the attackers out just like we did the other time,” Abdullahi said.

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