Armed bandits have reportedly taken full control of Mada district, Gusau local council of Zamfara State, as residents lament that they are leaving in bushes.
Newsonline reports that residents of Mada district are under the mercy of bandits who have taken over their district without security confrontation.
Residents revealed that they have not been taking baths, as most of them live in bushes for fear of the bandits who overpowered the country’s security forces.
Zamfara State has been the victim state of banditry since 2020, with scores of students, women, and children, kidnapped. While some were released after ransoms were paid, many are yet to be seen where hidden.
All Zamfara State government approach to stem the insecurity tide have proven ineffective.
An investigation carried out by DAILY POST revealed that the people of the district have deserted the entire area following incessant terror attacks by the men of the underworld.
At the roadside between Kotorkoshi and Mada town, many villagers live as refugees, erecting their tents along the road because the bandits have overpowered the security operatives.
According to one Mallan Ibrahim Mada, “we have not taken our baths for some days now because the notorious bandits have hijacked the entire area as they have overpowered the security operatives.
“As I am talking to you now, I don’t know the whereabouts of my two wives and children and I don’t know whether they have been kidnapped or they escaped to another area.
“We have no other means of livelihood except farming but we have been banned from our farming activities by bandits. The only wife and children with me now have entered Kotorkoshi village to beg for food for us to survive.”
The Commissioners of information, Hon. Ibrahim Magaji Dosara and Security and Internal Affairs confirmed that Mada district has been witnessing incessant terror attacks.
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At a press briefing in Gusau, the State capital, they admitted that the escalating rate of banditry activities in the axis had forced the State government to shut down all the markets and filling stations in the affected areas.
“The State government is aware of the plight of the people due to banditry activities bedeviling the entire area; we, therefore, decided to shut down all the markets and filling stations to reduce the incessant terror attacks in the axis.
“We engaged the Federal Government into dialogue so that it can approve our request for everyone that is qualified to be carrying weapons for self-defense to reduce the tension,” the commissioners stated.
Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle had called on the residents of the state to take up arms and defend their villages.
Governor Matawalle made the call stating the residents of Zamfara are living at the mercy of the bandits.