Bandits burn down country home of speaker of Zamfara State House of Assembly

ARMED hoodlums have attacked the country home of the speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly in Zurmi Local Government Area and burnt it to the ground in response to the recent military operations against them.

Over recent weeks, the Nigerian military has stepped up attacks against armed bandits operating in Zamfara State. For years now, they have turned large swathes of the state into no-go areas as they attack rural communities at will, kidnap people for ransom and kill people with impunity, with the authorities totally overwhelmed and helpless to do anything about it.

However, as cries for government action intensified, the Nigerian military has started bombing the camps of the bandits lately and in return, the hoodlums have hit back, destroying the country home of Hon Nasiru Muazu Magarya, the speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly. His local community was attacked and several other houses were also set ablaze according to Alhaji Abdullahi Shinkafi, the chairman of the Committee on Security and Prosecution of Bandits in Zamfara State.

Alhaji Shinkafi, who visited the affected community to assess the security situation, said the government wanted to provide support for victims and deploy more security operatives there. He added that two suppliers of foodstuffs, petrol and other commodities to the bandits were arrested.

According to Alhaji Shinkafi, the suspects used boats to convey the products from Sokoto through Issa Local Council to the bandits in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. He added that the two foodstuffs and petrol suppliers have been handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.