Bandits are currently on the rampage in the Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, following the arrest of the father of their leader by the security agents.
An indigene of the area, Malam Ahmed Shinkafi, told The PUNCH that the security agents in Jigawa State arrested the father of a bandits’ leader called Turji.
Shinkafi said, “Turji gave an ultimatum to the security agents to release his arrested father before Eid-el-Kabir or he would terrorise the whole area.”
According to Shinkafi, the bandits have since started unleashing mayhem on the people of the area since the bandit father’s arrest.
He claimed that they have already kidnapped many people.
He stressed that more than 23 villages were deserted by their inhabitants due to fear of the bandits’ attack.
Shinkafi said more than 6,000 people have fled to Shinkafi town for safety, lamenting that most of them were in a terrible situation.
“The villagers are in a terrible situation because of lack of food and shelter as many of them are squatting at Shinkafi local government secretariat.
The spokesperson of the police command, Mohammed Shehu, said the father of the bandits’ leader was not arrested in Zamfara State.
Shehu however maintained that the police command has since drafted security personnel to restore peace in the area.