Cattle thieves kill 42 cattle owners in Zamfara

Cattle rustlers over the weekend launched an attack on villagers in Gidan Kaso, Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamafara State, where they demanded the villagers to surrender their animals or get killed. They eventually killed 42 people and destroyed property worth millions of naira.

Vanguard reports that those who refused to surrender their animals were shot dead while those who attempted to escape sustained injuries.

The newspaper quoted the newspaper as saying: “For the past 20 days now, these people have been threatening the residents of this town that they will attack it, and since then, the people have not been themselves following the fear put in their minds by the threat”

He added that the hoodlums invaded the village even after destroying the farm produce of the residents.

A resident of the town who escaped death, Sahabi Mai Taya, was quoted as saying: “Immediately the hoodlums entered into the town, the opened five indiscriminately on whoever they came across, irrespective of sex, as one woman was among the already killed people”

Sahabi lost one of his relatives in the attack.

Reports said the hoodlums were up to 80, and were armed with dangerous weapons which included AK47 riffles, axes, knives and machetes.

A visit to the town by our reporter indicated that the whole place was deserted, and those who survived the attack had moved out along with the remaining animals they were left with.

The chairman of the council, Alhaji Aminu Sani, jaja who confirmed the attack however told Vanguard that only 15 people were killed while three houses were burnt to ashes. He said that the dead had been buried while he injured were receiving treatment in hospitals.