Zamfara massacre: Death toll rises to 215 •Residents flee town

DEATH toll of people attacked on Saturday in Yargaladima village of Dansadau Emirate, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, by Fulani cattle herdsmen has risen to 215.

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Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, a survivor of the attack, Mallam Muhammadu Yargaladima, said the hoodlums stormed the town around 2.00 p.m that fateful day with over 100 motorcycles.
“Using AK-47 and APC rifles, they (hoodlums) began to shoot at children, traders, community leaders, clerics and others, killing 215 people at the end of the four-hour operation.
“From yesterday (Saturday) to today (Sunday), we counted at least 215 corpses,” Yargaladima stressed.
He added that people had deserted the town for safety, adding that “you see, our women have fled for safety. Those of us that remain want to ensure that we bury our own. For those who are not from this village, we are waiting for their relatives to collect their corpses.”
Meanwhile, the Emir of Dansadau, Alhaji Husseini Adamu, has said his emirate had counted 105 corpses.

He made the disclosure while briefing the state governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, who was in the village to assess the situation.
Adamu said the mass killings by the bandits was the worst series of attacks witnessed in the emirate since 2010.
The governor, who was worried over the development, vowed to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act.
He disclosed that his government would find out why the illegal meeting not permited by the authorities was held.
“We will find out who insisted that the meeting must hold,” he declared.
Reacting to the attack, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 10, Alhaji Mamman Sule, disclosed that the attack was unfortuanate, adding that the meeting that led to the massive killings was not permitted by the police.
He disclosed that 79 people were killed in the attack.
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