ZAMFARA, Nigeria — Residents of Birnin Tudu in Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State have claimed to have killed more than 30 bandits during three days of fierce confrontations with armed men who invaded their community.
The residents said three villagers were killed during the fighting inside the community, while another person was reportedly killed outside the village. They also reported injuries among residents as the armed groups repeatedly attacked the area.
The confrontation began on Tuesday morning when hundreds of suspected bandits, travelling on motorcycles, reportedly surrounded the community, opened fire and looted shops, according to accounts by residents, reports Daily Trust.
Speaking to our Correspondent on condition of anonymity, one resident said the attackers took the villagers by surprise after some residents had left for their farms to harvest crops.
“What happened in Birnin Tudu over the last three days was alarming. The bandits unexpectedly surrounded our village. We have always remained vigilant and defended ourselves, but this time, we thought everything was under control,” he said.
The resident said the attackers arrived at about 10am, with three people reportedly riding on each motorcycle.
“Before we realised what was happening, the bandits had surrounded the village from all directions. They were conveying three people on each motorcycle. There were more than 100 motorcycles, and I personally counted 71 from where I was hiding,” he said.
According to him, the attackers moved into the community, shooting sporadically, breaking into shops and stealing goods.
Rather than flee their homes, the villagers decided to fight back, he said.
“We thank God that some of our people were ready to defend the community. We confronted them because we realised that fleeing our homes and becoming IDPs would be a disgrace to us,” the resident added.
He disclosed that three villagers were killed inside the community, while three others sustained fractures and another person suffered a gunshot wound.
The resident said the attackers returned for another confrontation while villagers were distributing batteries for torchlights.
“We confronted them again and eventually chased them out of the village towards the eastern part. They were in their hundreds and were all armed,” he said.
Although the attackers reportedly succeeded in taking cattle rustled from neighbouring communities, the resident said they did not steal livestock from Birnin Tudu.
Villagers claim more than 30 bandits killed
Another resident said the attackers operated in three groups, with the first reportedly comprising more than 71 motorcycles, the second accompanying rustled cattle and the third following behind.
He said the armed men used communication devices to contact associates hiding in surrounding bushes and instruct them to regroup.
The resident claimed that villagers initially counted 11 bandits killed during the fighting but were unable to recover additional weapons because another group of armed men launched a fresh attack.
“We killed 11 bandits, and while we were trying to seize their rifles, another group attacked us again. That prevented us from recovering more weapons that we could have used to defend ourselves,” he said.
He added that residents received intelligence on Thursday morning indicating that the bandits were approaching from the western side, prompting villagers and local vigilantes to prepare for another confrontation.
The residents also received reports that the attackers had rustled cattle from Sabon Garin Kaddagi village and were heading towards a forest known as Kwartaga.
According to the source, local vigilantes reportedly sighted the armed men and laid an ambush to prevent them from entering the community.
Subsequent information received by the villagers indicated that more than 30 bandits had been killed during the clashes.
The resident also reported that, apart from the three villagers killed inside Birnin Tudu, another person was killed outside the community, while a separate death was reported in Dantsullutu.
The claims about the number of bandits killed could not be independently verified.
Captive escapes, recounts bandit leader’s reaction
The resident also recounted the account of a villager who allegedly escaped from the bandits’ captivity and returned home.
According to him, the escapee overheard a bandit leader reprimanding his men over the attack on Birnin Tudu, claiming that more than 30 of their colleagues had been killed.
The captive reportedly escaped after being instructed to help push a motorcycle belonging to one of the bandits.
After the motorcycle started, he allegedly moved away, ran into tall crops and eventually found his way home.
The residents also dismissed reports that a bandit leader identified as Gwaska attacked the community because its inhabitants refused to allow him to mine gold in the area.
“That report is completely false. We are still in our community, and no bandit leader can force us to abandon our homes. We are determined to confront them and defend ourselves,” one resident said.
He maintained that residents remained in the village despite the attacks and were determined not to flee.
Police confirm attack, clarify confusion over two villages
The Zamfara State Police Command confirmed the incident in Birnin Tudu, Gummi LGA, and said it had intensified security measures to protect the community.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said, “The incident occurred, and we have intensified efforts to ensure that the community receives adequate police support.”
Daily Trust, however, reported that Zamfara State has two villages bearing the name Birnin Tudu: one in Gummi LGA and another in Anka LGA.
The village head of Birnin Tudu in Anka LGA told the newspaper that no attack had occurred in his community.
Abubakar also dismissed reports that the village in Anka was attacked for refusing a bandit leader permission to mine gold.
“Nothing of such has happened in Birnin Tudu village in Anka LGA and the village was not attacked,” he said.
The clarification distinguishes the community where residents reported the three-day confrontation from the separate village in Anka LGA.
Vigilantes warn of reprisal, seek armoured vehicle
The vigilante commander in Birnin Tudu, Gummi LGA, Bello Abubakar, popularly known as Bello Karo Birnin Tudu, has appealed to security agencies and the local government council to provide additional personnel and equipment following the clashes.
Abubakar said the community had received intelligence about the movement of a large group of bandits towards the village from Monday but that the attackers did not strike until Tuesday morning, when many residents had gone to their farms.
“We had privileged information about the movement of the bandits since Monday. We learnt that a large group of them was moving towards our village across the river, but they did not attack until Tuesday morning, when most of our people had gone to their farms,” he said.
The vigilante commander recalled that fewer than 10 villagers were available to guard the community when they received information about the approaching attackers.
He said the villagers suspected that an informant had leaked their plans and the location of their ambush, forcing the bandits to change their route.
According to him, the attackers entered the village through the eastern side, bypassing the blockade, before splitting into two groups. One reportedly moved towards Koga village, while the other headed for Hishi village.
Abubakar said the villagers subsequently regrouped and blocked the entrances to their community.
“Whenever we hear gunshots, we rush to that location to reinforce our people,” he said.
He recalled that the community was last attacked about two years ago, when residents claimed to have killed more than 15 bandits.
“They attacked us about two years ago, and we killed more than 15 of them. Their corpses were later found in the bushes of neighbouring villages, and we did not lose anybody on our side,” he said.
Abubakar warned that the community expected possible reprisals following the latest clashes and called for urgent government intervention.
“We know there will be a reprisal and we are ready to confront them. However, we need the government to support us with an armoured vehicle and security personnel to strengthen our capacity,” he said.
He also appealed to the chairman of Gummi LGA, Aminu Falale, to provide additional equipment, saying the community had exhausted much of its resources during the three-day confrontation.
“We need more ammunition, gunpowder, torchlights and guns. Our equipment has run low because we spent three days confronting the bandits,” he pleaded.
Falale declined to comment on the matter over the telephone, asking the reporter to meet him in person.
“I cannot speak to you over the telephone. Just find time to come and meet me physically for a proper introduction,” he said before ending the call.
Efforts to reach the member of the Zamfara State House of Assembly representing the constituency, Adamu Aliyu Gazura, were unsuccessful as his telephone numbers were unreachable.
Retired military officer urges urgent reinforcement
A retired military officer and security expert, Bello Muhammad Bakyasuwa Maradun, has urged the Zamfara State Government to strengthen security in Birnin Tudu to protect residents against possible reprisals.
Maradun, a former commandant of Anti-Thuggery in Zamfara, commended the villagers for resisting the attackers but warned that their efforts should not leave them exposed to further violence.
He said the confrontation demonstrated the importance of community participation in tackling insecurity but stressed that residents could not be left to defend themselves without adequate government support.
The retired officer advocated stronger community-based security arrangements, including intelligence-sharing, surveillance equipment and other lawful measures to help protect rural settlements.
He also cautioned that any provision of weapons to community members must comply with the law and be subject to appropriate supervision to prevent the proliferation of arms and further insecurity.
Maradun warned against interpreting the reported deaths of bandits as evidence that the armed groups had been defeated, stressing that the possibility of retaliation made immediate security intervention necessary.
He urged the government and security agencies to reinforce the community, protect lives and restore public confidence through sustained security operations.
