Although the killings occurred on Monday, they did not come to light till Wednesday because the villages attacked were in the remote parts of the states.
According to THISDAY, it is revealed that the bandits invaded the villages in over 100 motorcycles, shooting people on sight.
The affected villages were Alliki, Dankilawa, Birwanga, Tabbannin Gera in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State, and Kozi village in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Among the people killed by the attackers were the village head of Tabanni Gera, the chief Imam as well as women and children.
It was also gathered that 32 corpses were given mass burial at Tabbanni Gera in Gandi district of Rabah Local Government Area Wednesday with the governor in attendance.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Cordelia Nwawe, said the state Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Murtala Mani, had gone to the area to assess the situation.
She said details would be made available as soon as possible.
A resident of Tabbani Gera, Malam Ali Na-Huro, said the gunmen attacked the community on Monday evening, killing people and also setting all the houses ablaze.
“I was in the farm working when the attack occurred. I counted more than 30 dead bodies while trying to escape. Many people were killed in my community including the village head,” he stated.
The Sarkin Rafin Dan Tassakko, a village in Goronyo Local Government Area, which is very close to the affected communities, Alhaji Muhammadu Aliyu, said hundreds of people had been displaced by the attack in the area.
Aliyu disclosed that over 200 farmers in his village had abandoned their farms this year because of the threat of bandits.
He said over 70 people had been kidnapped by bandits in the 17 villages under his district in the last two years.
Governor Tambuwal condoled with families of the victims who were taking refuge in a school in Gandi town in Rabah Local GovernmentArea.
Addressing the victims at Gandi Model Primary School, the governor described the situation as unfortunate, saying government would continue to support security agencies to tackle the situation.
“Government will continue to work with all security agencies to ensure the safety of the people especially at this difficult time,” he said, adding,
“Our presence here is in order to sympathise with the victims of this unfortunate incident and give them the necessary relief materials in order to ease their suffering most especially at this difficult time.”
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