Bandits yesterday abducted 43 worshippers from a mosque in Gidan Turbe village, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State. The attackers also kidnapped 12 residents at Godai village in Bukkuyum LGA during a separate incident on Sunday.
The mosque attack reportedly occurred around 5:30am during prayers. Witnesses said the gunmen surrounded the mosque, waited until prayers ended, and then whisked the worshippers away towards Gahori Mountain, a notorious hideout for bandits that stretches across Zamfara into Kebbi and Kaduna States. Locals claim top bandit leaders, including Bello Turji, Ado Aliero, Dogo Gide and others, maintain strongholds in the area.
Residents described the assault as well-coordinated. “The bandits silently surrounded the mosque and patiently waited for prayers to end. They gathered everyone outside and moved them away without raising suspicion,” said Habibu Dogo, a local. Community members say banditry in Tsafe and its environs has intensified in recent weeks, with attacks reported almost daily.
A community leader alleged the Gidan Turbe abduction was carried out by fighters loyal to Adamu Aliero, linking the incident to Zamfara’s refusal to strike peace accords with armed groups. “Whenever they seal a deal in Katsina, we become the next target,” he said.
In Bukkuyum, the Sunday morning raid forced residents to flee as bandits opened fire before abducting 12 villagers. Security analyst Zagazola Makama confirmed the incident, citing Zamfara Police Command reports.
Residents expressed frustration at what they described as government inaction. “If soldiers can be deployed in large numbers to protect elections, why not for our lives?” asked Muhammad Tukur Isa of Kaura Namoda. Others urged cooperation between Governor Dauda Lawal and federal authorities, stressing that political rifts are worsening insecurity.
Governor Lawal has repeatedly maintained that his administration will not negotiate with bandits, insisting that previous peace deals only emboldened the groups. His aide, Mustapha Jafaru Kaura, accused the federal government of withholding military orders, saying troops in Zamfara often remain idle while attacks persist.
Security experts argue that fragmented peace deals and poor federal–state synergy undermine the fight against banditry. They warn that unless soldiers are better armed, motivated, and supported, bandits will continue to outgun local communities and security forces.
Zamfara’s Tsafe LGA has faced multiple deadly raids in recent months, including mosque burnings, killings, and retaliatory attacks linked to Aliero’s loyalists. Residents remain in distress, with many villages deserted as communities fear renewed strikes.
