At least 20 people were killed at the weakened after gunmen stormed a mosque in Magami village of Maradun Local Government Area, Zamfara State and opened fire on those praying. The victims were attacked and killed along with Alhaji Aliyu Abbas, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain. On Saturday around 4:30pm, the bandits, numbering 20, on motorcycles, armed with sophisticated weapons surrounded Magami village.
They opened fire on people that were saying their evening prayers inside a mosque, leaving 20 people dead. The Emir of Maradun in Zamfara State, Alhaji Garba Tambari Maradun, while condemning the killings, accused security agents of inability to curtail wanton killings in the state. Maradun stated this during the mass burial of the victims. Maradun told the acting governor, Alhaji Sanusi Garbage Rikiji, and security chiefs, who attended the burial that the performance of security agents in fighting bandits was questionable.
He said: “We have been reporting the activities of the bandits to the Security Council meetings, but yet no serious action had been taken to end the banditry.” The monarch, however, lamented that considerable number of towns and villages were under the authority of the bandits. He challenged the security agents to wake up and check the activities of bandits in the state.
Rikiji condemned the action of the bandits, urging security agents to go back to the drawing board with a view to ending the menace. Rikiji further expressed shock that despite relocation of One Battalion Brigade from Sokoto to Gusau and Operation Sharan Daji, and other security operatives, bandits continued to operate and attack people at an increasing rate. He noted that the state government has been very responsive in giving logistics to security agents for the fight against bandits. He promised to meet with all stakeholders to review the security challenges facing the state and proffers solutions in order to end the menace.