Bandits Massacre Over 50 in Zamfara’s Dutsin Dan Ajiya Village

By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa

Bandits have launched a horrific raid on Dutsin Dan Ajiya village in Zamfara on Thursday night, killing over 50 residents.

Survivors described a bloodbath where gunmen shot indiscriminately at fleeing villagers. Video footage later showed victims being prepared for a somber mass burial.

The attackers, numbering over 150 on motorcycles, besieged the community from 5 p.m. until Friday morning. They blocked all exit routes before burning homes and shooting residents.

Despite early warnings sent to authorities about the approaching mob, residents claim no security help arrived.

This massacre occurred just 24 hours after the state government donated armored vehicles and drones to help the military fight banditry. While the Minister of Defence ordered troops to be decisive, the attack highlights the ongoing failure to protect remote rural communities.

In addition to the dead, numerous residents were wounded or abducted into the forest.

Heartbroken survivors, like Abdullahi Sani who lost three relatives, reported that many villagers were still missing. The total number of casualties and captives remains uncertain as searches continue.

Security analysts argue this is a continuation of a chronic security deficit rather than a new surge in violence. They criticized the “reactive” nature of the military, which often leaves areas vulnerable after moving troops to different crisis points to manage overstretched resources.

Experts and community leaders are now urgently calling for the decentralization of the police force to provide permanent, local protection.

Neither the state government nor the police have issued a formal response yet, even as neighboring states face similar deadly incursions this month.