Police in Zamfara on Tuesday confirmed the killing of 15 persons and kidnap of six women by gunmen in Gusau local government area of the state.

Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Muhammad Shehu, made the confirmation in a statement in Gusau.

Shehu said that on Monday, there was an attack in Wonaka, Ajja, Mada, Ruwan Baure, Doka, Takoka and Tudun-Maijatau villages of Mada district in Gusau area.

He said a woman was among the persons killed, adding that the attackers also kidnapped six women and a man.

“Fortunately, with the efforts of police and sister security agencies, the abducted women have regained their freedom and have re-joined their families.

“Normalcy has been restored to the affected villages, with improved deployment of PMF, CTU, Special Forces and Military teams to the area to forestall further attack on neighbouring villages.

“The attack is presumably a reprisal to the attack on some Fulanis in a J5 vehicle on Feb. 1, 2019 where seven Fulanis and their animals were killed and set ablaze by the outlawed `Yansakai,’ he said.

In another development, the PPRO said that the District Head of Gwashi in Bukkuyum Local Government Area reported to the police that armed bandits stormed Batauna village and killed 11 persons and set houses ablaze.

He, however, said that the details were sketchy to the police due to distance and terrain inaccessibility and lack of GSM coverage in area.

“Units of PMF/CTU/Special Forces and military were mobilized to complement the effort of security personnel already on ground and also confirm the authenticity of the report.

“The entire area and environs have been subjected to co-ordinated bush-combing for possible arrest of the perpetrators.

“The command urges members of the public to avoid taking laws into their hands and always report all complaints and grievances to constituted authority for legal redress.

“Discreet investigation into this dastardly act has already commenced and all perpetrators will be fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law,” he said. (NAN)