In a remarkable display of bravery and resilience, residents of Matusgi village in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State reportedly killed at least 37 bandits during an attempted invasion on Wednesday afternoon.
According to local sources, the bandits arrived in the village on motorbikes around 2 p.m., intending to abduct locals.
This was not the first time the village had been targeted, but it was the first occasion where the residents managed to inflict significant casualties on the attackers.
An anonymous resident recounted that the bandits began their assault by firing sporadically to create panic. However, the villagers, who had been alerted in advance, were well-prepared.
Armed with locally-made firearms and traditional weapons, they launched a fierce counterattack, encircling the bandits and preventing their escape.
The initial clash, which lasted about an hour, resulted in the deaths of 10 bandits. Refusing to relent, the villagers regrouped and set up an ambush. When the bandits returned, the villagers launched a renewed attack, ultimately killing a total of 37 bandits.
Alhaji Ciroma Muhammad, the District Head of Matusgi, confirmed the incident, adding that three villagers lost their lives in the clash. He also mentioned that neighboring communities witnessed the bandits transporting the bodies of their fallen comrades on motorbikes.
“This is the 13th time bandits have attacked this village,” Alhaji Muhammad said. “Three weeks ago, the bandits kidnapped 23 people, mostly women, without firing a single shot. We only realized they had left when we heard distant gunshots.”
The villagers’ actions have been hailed as a courageous stand against the persistent threat posed by banditry in the region.
