The terrorists attacked the community a few minutes before midnight and began shooting indiscriminately.
Three people were killed and 13 others abducted after terrorists attacked Mayanci, a community in the Maru area, Zamfara State, on Monday.
Residents told PREMIUM TIMES that several people were wounded during the attack that lasted over two hours. The injured are being treated at a Hospital in Maru.
A former chairperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Mayanci ward, Dahiru Maizabura, was among those killed. Others who were killed during the attack were Isuhu Nana and Umar Gurmu, a resident of the area, Badaru Mayanci, told PREMIUM TIMES over the phone on Tuesday.
"The bandits came into the community moment before midnight and began shooting sporadically. They parked their motorcycles away from the community and walked to the centre of the village where they launched the attack," Mr Mayanci said.
Mr Mayanci said some residents who were at a tea stall around the Fakon Idi area of the town were caught unawares. They thought the gunshots were from members of a vigilante group in the community.
Another source, who simply gave his name as Usman, said the terrorists invaded the community and continued shooting.
"The former party chairman, Dahiru Maizabura, was killed in his shop. His provision store was in a different area from his home, so when the shooting began, he wanted to run home, but they got him before he could escape," he said.
He said the other two were also killed outside their homes while running out to escape the attack. Mr Usman said most of those wounded were shot while running to safety.
"During bandits attacks, fear build up among residents. Sometimes, people run out of their houses to go to safer places in the community. Some of the people we took to the hospital in the morning were shot, while others were injured during the stampede," he said.
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Vigilante among those abducted
Mr Mayanci said some members of a local vigilante group in the area were among those abducted. He said the terrorists also abducted three sons of a popular broadcast journalist in Zamfara State, Ibrahim Dan-Jarida.
He said all those taken into the forest were male. He said the terrorists asked a pregnant abducted woman to return home.
"She was the only woman taken among the abducted residents, but immediately they went out of the community, they (terrorists) asked her to return home since she is pregnant and couldn't walk the distance to their camp," Mr Mayanci said.
The police spokesperson in the state, Yazid Abubakar, didn't respond to an SMS sent to him. Calls made to his mobile number did not connect.
For over a decade, residents of Zamfara and other North-west States have been witnessing a series of terrorist activities leading to the death and displacement of hundreds of thousands of people.
