Gunmen camouflaged in military uniforms at the weekend attacked Unguwar Galadima village in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara state killing 79 people.
The latest attack was similar to the recent onslaught on Birnin Tsaba and Maitsaba communities in Zurmi Local Government Area where 23 innocent people were gruesomely killed.
An unofficial source claimed that the number of lives lost in Saturday’s attack may not be less than 150.
The source said the incident occurred when some members of a vigilance group were holding a meeting in the afternoon on how to put an end to the criminal activities in the area.
Midway into the meeting, the peace initiative was shattered upon when some gunmen appeared on the scene and indiscriminately opened fire on those in attendance.
The source who gave his name as Abdullahi Unguwar Galadima, said the gunmen came on about 100 motorcycles armed with sophisticated weapons and blocked major routes in the village.
According to him, the attackers who were obviously not satisfied with their action, further moved into the village and shot at other villagers sporadically.
“There were dead bodies scattered over the entire place,” he added.
Confirming the incident, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of the zone, Mamman Sule, put the number of dead bodies found after the attack at 79.
The AIG openly condemned the meeting held without consultation with the security agencies.
Also in his reaction, Governor Abdulaziz Yari, who was visibly worried, expressed shock at the sight of the loss of innocent lives and wondered how such ugly incidence could happen in a broad daylight without any help from the security agents.
While giving the assurance of his government’s commitment to fish out the culprits and bring them to book, Yari also promised that the families left behind by the deceased will be supported and adequate compensation would be given in respect of the property destroyed by the attackers.
