Armed Robbers Targeting Women and Girls in Zamfara State
As a new tactic, Armed robbers in Zamfara State, Northwest Nigeria, have begun targeting married women and girls in the houses of their families.
According to a local (name withdrawn), the bandits in Kalgon Kunci village in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State have murdered residents and perpetrated other heinous crimes.
Suleiman Bala Idris, a spokesman for the governor of Zamfara State, addressed the accusation in a Hausa interview, describing the situation as tragic and stating that the state administration was acting appropriately to put a stop to it.
According to the local, who spoke to the BBC Hausa Service in an interview that was filmed in Kaduna, 70% of the people had fled their homes because of the situation at hand.
He claims that in the past, robbers would target his village, humiliate its residents, steal their livestock, and hold them for ransom. But now they'd show up during the middle of the day and stay until midnight.
“They would be dressed in uniform carrying weapons. I swear it has reached a level where they would enter any house they like and rape women. If a woman resisted, they would abduct her, do whatever they want with her in the bush and bring her back after 2,3 or 4 days,” he stated.
According to him, the bandits were able to humiliate surrounding areas for almost a decade since not a single police officer had been sent to the community.
“We are now under the control of these bandits. During the harvest season, they asked us to give them N15 million before we would harvest our farm produce. All households contributed and we gave them the money. Three days after, they stopped us from harvesting and set our farm produce on fire,” he lamented.
He said that their cries for help were unheeded by the authorities. ” This has forced the majority of our people to migrate,” he added.
“Whoever has a place to run to, has left. People are leaving Kuncin Kalgo on daily basis,” he said.
The report stated that the government of Zamfara State was doing its best to eliminate the threat.
“The situation is worrisome and the government is taking the right step to bring an end to it,” said Sulaiman Bala Idris, the governor's spokesperson.
“Not only in that community but to bring a lasting end to this crisis by Almighty Allah’s grace,” he assured.