Eleven persons have been confirmed killed during an attack on a viewing centre in Zamfara State in the early hours of Thursday.
Viewing centres are private places were people gather to watch sports, movies and others after paying a little sum of money. They are common across Nigeria.
Although the police said six corpses were recovered, spokesperson to the state governor, Ibrahim Dosara, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview that 11 persons died.
”Eleven (persons were) killed and 21 wounded in (the incident at) Badarawa in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State,” Mr Dosara said.
“Investigation revealed that it was bandits that did the killings. More investigations are going on,” he said.
”The wounded have been taken to the Shinkafi General Hospital this morning, the victims have been hospitalised and committees from the villages where the incident happened are around to support the families of those who were wounded,” Mr Dosara said.
Confirming the incident, however, the police said six persons were killed in the attack and 10 others injured.
Police spokesperson in the state, Mohammed Shehu, who confirmed the attack in a statement, said upon receiving a distress call from the area, police and military officers were mobilised to the area.
According to him, the officers engaged the bandits and forced them to flee into the forest.
“On 13th September, 2018 at about 0015hrs, the Command received a distress call of an ongoing attack at a Badarawa Village Square in Shinkafi LGA.
“Simultaneously, our tactical teams comprising PMF/CTU in conjunction with the military mobilised to the scene and engaged the bandits who fled into the forest.
“While profiling the scene and its environs, six (6) corpses were discovered and ten (10) injured persons who were bleeding profusely were rushed to the hospital for stabilisation.
“Preliminary investigation has disclosed the footpath of the bandits which has been subjected to extensive bush combing, that will lead to the arrest of the culprits.
“Meanwhile, there is an established tactical pin down point at entrance and exit of the community.”
He vowed the police will fish out the attackers.
Zamfara has witnessed the killing of hundreds of people in the past year by armed bandits. Although the killings have reduced since a large military offensive, mainly by the army and air force, was deployed in the state; Thursday’s incident shows the bandits are still able to attack at will.
