No fewer than 40 illegal gold miners were gruesomely shot dead by suspected herdsmen at Bindin village in Maru local government area of Zamfara state.
According to an eyewitness who spoke to our correspondent, the incident occurred on Monday as dozens of unidentified gunmen arrived at the mining sites on motor bikes shooting people at close range.
“When they laid siege, they began to shoot everyone on sight. They stashed away grams of mined gold and large amount of money from the suspected gold dealers and miners.
“They told those already inside the mining pit to remain there, warning that anyone who dares to come out would be shot dead,” the witness said.
The witness further added that those in the mining tunnels were also followed and killed
He said other miners that had sensed trouble earlier escaped into the forest. The bandits then dashed into the bush firing several gunshots into the air challenging the local vigilantes aka ‘Yan Sakai’ to come out and fight like men.
Confirming the incident, the spokesman of the state police command, DSP Muhammad Shehu, said security operatives were dispatched to restore law and order at the affected areas.
Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar, in a statement released by his Special Adviser on Public Enlightenment, Media and Communication, Ibrahim Dosara, condemned the attack tagging it an act of terrorism.
The governor, who was currently out of the state on official engagements, had pledged to collaborate with security agencies to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators of the act of terrorism.
“The Gov also ordered his deputy to immediately visit the scene of the attack and the community to condole with the family, before his arrival after discussing the attack with the President and the security Agencies in Abuja,” the statement said.
