By Derrick Bangura

Terrorists have massacred no fewer than 63 persons in Damri, Sabon-Garin Damri, Kalahe, Faru and Kauyen Minane farming communities in Bakura and Maradun Local Government Areas of Zamfara State in Nigeria’s Northwest, in separate fresh onslaughts on the farming communities.

Fifty-Six people were killed by the terrorists in Damri, Sabon-Garin Damri and Kalahe communities in Bakura local government last Friday while seven were massacred in Faru and Kauyen Minane in Maradun local government.

A resident of Kalahe, Ibrahim Usman, who confirmed the Friday attack to THISDAY, in a telephone interview on Sunday, said the terrorists invaded the communities with sophisticated weapons at about 2:30pm and started shooting sporadically.

Although, police authorities and the state government were yet to confirm the attacks, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state who craved anonymity, said terrorists had killed more than 70 people in the affected communities.

Usman explained that the terrorists carried out what appears to be coordinated attacks from Sabon Garin Damri, Damri and Kalahe for about one hour before a joint security team repelled them.

He added that a 13-year-old girl, Police officer and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were among those killed in Damri community by the motorcycle-riding terrorists.

He reiterated that the terrorists also invaded a primary healthcare facility in Damri community, where they killed two patients who were receiving treatment in the hospital.
He said: “The terrorists attacked the communities in a large number riding on their motorcycles on Friday afternoon at about 2:30pm. As of Saturday morning, we counted 56 dead bodies. They also set ablaze an operational Hilux vehicle belonging to the Police.

“They killed three people; a girl, a police officer and another officer with the NSCDC in the Damri community. Two patients at our healthcare centre were also killed while the remaining 51 people were killed by the terrorists in Sabon Garin Damri and Kalahe.

“Some of the victims were not residents of the three communities. They were people who came from nearby villages to celebrate Eid El Fitr with their relatives. They have been buried according to Islamic rite.”

Barely 28 hours after the terrorists killed 56 people in three villages in Bakura Local Government Area of the state, the hoodlums stormed Faru and Kauyen Minane villages in Maradun Local Government Area of the state where they killed seven other villagers.

A resident of Faru village, Kamilu Tanko, who confirmed the fresh onslaught on Faru and Kauyen Minane villages on Sunday, said the deadly attacks occurred on Saturday at about 3pm.
He said: “Six people were killed in Kauyen Minane while one was killed in Faru. I was at the Maradun General Hospital when soldiers brought their corpses. Number of those killed may increase because many are still missing in the affected villages”.

He said the seven people killed were male farmers, stating that four of them were killed at the outskirts of the Kauyen Minane village while returning from the farms.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari, in a statement on Sunday, noted that while there appeared to be relative calm in Zamfara, with the situation returning to normal in most parts and the rural communities ready to live their lives normally again, there had been several breaches, especially in view of the terrorists’ attack on Damri, Sabongarin Damri and Kalahe villages in Bakura Local Government Area, and lately, Maradun.

According to him: “We mustn’t allow the return of days when the bandits had a free hand to do as they wished. The rural folk in Zamfara and elsewhere must be allowed to have peace.”
The president, therefore, directed that the momentum that had been developed by the security agencies be sustained in order to bring an end to the activities of the murderers.

While expressing condolences to the families of the victims as well as the government and people of the state, Buhari further ordered that the combined efforts of both the federal and state governments must do all that could be done to bring an immediate end to the horrific killings.