BY TAIBAT UMMI YAKUBU

Residents of Birnin Tudu in Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State have claimed that more than 30 suspected bandits died during a three-day battle after hundreds of armed men invaded their community, triggering fears of further attacks.

The residents said the attackers arrived on motorcycles, surrounded the village and opened fire, forcing locals to mobilise in defence of their homes. However, the reported death toll among the gunmen has not been independently verified.

One resident, who spoke to Daily Trust anonymously, said the attack began around 10am on Tuesday, when many villagers had left for their farms to harvest crops.

He said the attackers arrived in large numbers, with three people reportedly riding on each motorcycle. While hiding during the assault, he counted 71 motorcycles, although he estimated that the total number was higher.

“Before we realised what was happening, the bandits had surrounded the village from all directions,” he said, adding that residents had previously believed the security situation was under control.

According to the resident, the gunmen moved through the community, shooting sporadically, breaking into shops and looting goods. Some villagers, however, chose to fight back rather than flee and risk becoming internally displaced persons.

“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,” he said.

The confrontation reportedly left three villagers dead 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 their torchlights. The locals eventually drove the gunmen towards the eastern part of the village, he claimed.

Although the attackers reportedly escaped with cattle rustled from neighbouring communities, the resident said they did not take livestock belonging to Birnin Tudu residents.

Another resident alleged that the attackers operated in three groups, with one comprising more than 71 motorcycles, another moving with the rustled cattle and a third following behind.

He also claimed that the gunmen used communication devices to contact associates hiding in nearby bushes and coordinate their movements.

The resident said villagers initially counted 11 suspected bandits killed during the fighting. However, their attempt to recover rifles from the bodies was interrupted when 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,” he said.

The resident further disclosed that villagers received information on Thursday morning that the attackers were approaching from the western side, prompting local vigilantes to prepare for another confrontation.

He said the community also received reports that the gunmen had rustled cattle from Sabon Garin Kaddagi and were heading towards Kwartaga forest. Local vigilantes reportedly sighted the group and positioned themselves to prevent another incursion.

The resident said subsequent information suggested that more than 30 suspected bandits had been killed during the clashes. He also reported that, in addition to the three deaths inside Birnin Tudu, another person was allegedly killed outside the community and a separate death was reported in Dantsullutu. Those additional casualties could not be independently confirmed.

In another account, the resident said a villager who allegedly escaped from bandit captivity returned home with information about the attackers' losses.

According to him, the escapee overheard a bandit leader rebuking his men over the operation and complaining that more than 30 of their colleagues had been killed.

The resident said the captive escaped after being ordered to help push a motorcycle belonging to one of the gunmen. Once the motorcycle started, he allegedly slipped away, ran into tall crops and eventually found his way home.

Residents reject gold-mining attack claims

The villagers also dismissed reports that a bandit leader identified as Gwaska attacked Birnin Tudu because residents 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.

The residents maintained that they had no plans to abandon their homes despite the attack.

Zamfara State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed that an incident occurred in Birnin Tudu, Gummi LGA, and said security measures had been strengthened to protect the community.

“The incident occurred, and we have intensified efforts to ensure that the community receives adequate police support,” he said.

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The police also clarified that Zamfara has two communities called Birnin Tudu: one in Gummi LGA and another in Anka LGA.

A village head in the Anka community told Daily Trust that no attack had occurred there. Abubakar also dismissed reports that the Anka village was targeted over its alleged refusal to permit gold mining.

“Nothing of such has happened in Birnin Tudu village in Anka LGA and the village was not attacked,” he said.

Vigilante commander demands more security equipment

Following the confrontation, the community's vigilante commander, Bello Abubakar, popularly known as Bello Karo Birnin Tudu, appealed to security agencies and the Gummi Local Government Council to provide additional personnel and equipment.

Abubakar said residents had received intelligence about the movement of a large group of armed men towards the community since Monday. However, the attackers reportedly waited until Tuesday morning, when many residents had gone to their farms, before launching their assault.

He said fewer than 10 villagers were available to guard the community when they learnt that the gunmen were approaching.

The vigilante commander also expressed suspicion that an informant might have exposed the villagers' plans and the location of their intended ambush, allegedly forcing the attackers to change their route.

According to him, the gunmen entered through the eastern side, bypassed the villagers' blockade and split into two groups. One group reportedly headed towards Koga village, while the other moved in the direction of Hishi.

Abubakar said residents later regrouped and blocked the entrances to their community, adding that they usually moved quickly to reinforce anyone who came under attack.

He recalled that the community was attacked about two years ago, when villagers claimed to have killed more than 15 bandits without suffering any casualties.

With fears of a possible reprisal following the latest clashes, Abubakar urged the government to deploy security personnel and provide an armoured vehicle.

“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 Gummi Local Government Chairman Aminu Falale to supply more equipment, saying the villagers had exhausted much of their 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 said.

Falale declined to comment on the matter over the telephone, asking the reporter to meet him in person for an introduction. He ended the call after the reporter requested an appointment.

Efforts to contact the member representing the constituency in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Adamu Aliyu Gazura, were unsuccessful, as his telephone numbers were unreachable.

Security expert warns against complacency

A retired military officer and security expert, Bello Muhammad Bakyasuwa Maradun, has urged the Zamfara State Government to reinforce security in Birnin Tudu, warning that the community could face retaliatory attacks.

Maradun, a former commandant of the Anti-Thuggery unit in Zamfara, praised the residents for defending their homes but stressed that they should not be left to confront heavily armed groups without adequate government support.

He said the three-day confrontation highlighted the role community participation could play in tackling insecurity, particularly in rural areas. However, he called for stronger security deployments, improved surveillance and better intelligence-sharing between residents and security agencies.

He also advocated community-based security arrangements that comply with the law, warning that any provision of weapons must be properly supervised to prevent the uncontrolled spread of arms.

According to him, closer cooperation between communities and security agencies could help disrupt criminal activities and restore public confidence.

However, Maradun cautioned that the reported deaths of bandits should not be interpreted as proof that the armed groups had been defeated. He said the risk of retaliation made immediate security intervention essential.

He urged the government to respond to the community's concerns with concrete measures to protect lives, prevent further attacks and restore lasting peace in Zamfara State.

While residents insist they are determined to remain in their homes, their accounts of the fighting have raised fresh concerns about the security of rural communities in the state. The immediate challenge for authorities is to establish the full extent of the casualties and strengthen protection against further violence.