Eyewitnesses recounted how the gunmen stormed the villages of Kurfa Danya and Kurfan Magaji under the cover of darkness, firing indiscriminately and rounding up victims. Many families were separated in the chaos, with women and children among those taken. The bandits also looted homes and destroyed property before fleeing into the surrounding forests.
Hon. Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi, the member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Gumi and Bukkuyum, confirmed the incident in an interview with BBC Hausa. He described the terror that gripped the affected villages, with survivors now seeking refuge in Bukkuyum town. "The people of Kurfa Danya and Kurfan Magaji slept in fear, and now, no one remains in those villages. They have all fled, waiting in uncertainty," he said.
The lawmaker highlighted the persistent security crisis in Zamfara, where bandits have repeatedly targeted communities, kidnapping residents for ransom and displacing thousands. He urged the federal government to prioritize the state’s security challenges, warning that the situation is worsening. "We have seen the government shift focus to Borno due to Boko Haram’s resurgence, but Zamfara is also in dire need of intervention," he stressed.
The worsening insecurity has also sparked political resistance. The Chairman of Bukkuyum Local Government recently refused to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing the government’s failure to curb banditry in the region. "He made it clear that he would not align with the APC until security improves, yet the attacks continue."
As displaced families struggle to find shelter and food, calls for military reinforcement and humanitarian aid grow louder. Many fear that without urgent action, more villages could fall victim to the relentless violence. The latest attack underscores the deepening crisis in Nigeria’s northwest, where banditry and kidnapping have become a daily nightmare for rural communities.
Authorities have yet to issue a detailed statement on the abductions, leaving families in anguish over the fate of their loved ones. Meanwhile, residents brace for further attacks, questioning whether help will ever come.
