Death toll has continued to swell up in Zamfara as more bodies of victims comprising of the killer bandits, the innocent villagers and soldiers are still being discovered.
Currently, the number of dead bodies discovered have so far, as at yesterday, reached two hundred and thirteen (213), who were massively killed in the aggressive air and land strike in an encounter with large group of bandits in the state.
The incidence which was said to have begun from last Saturday, and run through the early hours of the following Monday in Dansadau emirate of Maru local government area, had also claimed the lives of about ten soldiers.
A witness from the area, Mallam Nuhu Dansadau, told this medium that the incidence begun last Saturday when the bandits attacked Malele community who came out in mass for self defense.
When the villagers realised they could not contain the strength and numerical size of the bandits, they sought for the military intervention.
He said on arrival, the military comprising of the army and air force, engaged the bandits in deadly battle and in the encounter, the air force stroke at a large group of bandits, killing huge number of them, while at the same time, the army laid ambush on those attempting to escape.
Nuhu explains that unfortunately, some of the bandits managed to escape to a nearby Mutunji village where a market session was going on, and on reaching the village, the air force bomber was said to have mistakenly dropped a bomb amidst the market session, in assumption that the gathering of marketers were group of bandits.
It was here that many innocent villagers were killed and hundred sustained various degree of injuries.
It was also gathered that about ten land soldiers were killed by the bandits in the encounter with the bandits.
Reliable source told this medium that up to early morning of today, more bodies were being discovered from the scene of the incidence.
Meanwhile, the governor of the state Hon. Bello Matawalle made a state broadcast yesterday evening, condoling both families of the civilians and the military who lost their members in the incidence.
The governor expressed deep concern and grief over the alarming loss of lives to banditry in the state, but assured that his government will maintain its commitment in the fight against the killer bandits.
He expressed deep appreciation with the performance of the military, while reassuring that his government will continue to operate hand in hand with the military to flush out the menace from the society.
