Rural communities in Zamfara State are grappling with an alarming surge in bandit attacks, as criminals now focus on perpetrating heinous acts of raping married women and girls within the sanctity of their family homes. This unsettling revelation emerged during a series of interviews conducted in Kaduna.
A resident, who chose to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, disclosed that the bandits have escalated their atrocities, moving beyond traditional activities such as rustling animals and abducting individuals for ransom. The situation has deteriorated to the point where bandits, often adorned in uniforms and armed, brazenly invade homes in broad daylight, remaining until midnight.
The resident lamented, "They will be dressed in uniform carrying weapons. I swear, it has reached a level that they would enter any house they liked and rape women. If any woman resists them, they would abduct her, do whatsoever they want with her in the bush and bring her back after two, three, or four days."
Expressing deep frustration, the resident revealed the community's plea for help, emphasizing that over the past decade, not a single policeman had been deployed to the area. The absence of security forces has emboldened the bandits, allowing them to subject the community to humiliation and extortion.
"We are now under the control of these bandits. During the harvest season, they asked us to give them N15 million before we can harvest our farm produce. All households contributed, and we gave them the money. Three days after, they stopped us from harvesting and set our farm produce on fire," the resident recounted.
The dire situation has forced a significant portion of the villagers, reportedly 70%, to relocate to safer places. Despite their pleas for assistance from authorities, the community continues to face threats, with the bandits demonstrating an audacious grip on the region.
Reacting to the alarming reports, the Zamfara State Government assured residents that steps are being taken to address the escalating menace. Spokesman Sulaiman Bala Idris stated, "The situation is worrisome, and the government is taking the right steps to bring an end to it. Not only in that community but also to bring a lasting end to this crisis by Almighty Allah’s grace."
In a parallel development, suspected bandits arrested by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, along with personnel of the 176 Guards Battalion of the Nigerian Army, have divulged information suggesting that they have sponsors. The Commander of FCT NSCDC Command, Olusola Odumosu, confirmed the arrests, revealing that investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of their involvement.
The disturbing trend of bandits targeting women within the confines of their homes has intensified concerns over the security situation in Zamfara, prompting calls for urgent and comprehensive intervention to protect the vulnerable population.
