Gunmen have killed the secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Musa Ille.
Ille was killed in his residence at about 8:30 pm on Monday by gunmen suspected to be bandits.
A resident of the area, Iliyasu Samaila, told The PUNCH that Ille had just returned from the night prayer (Ishai) when the gunmen entered his house and shot him dead.
According to Samaila, the deceased was among the people of the town at the forefront of the fight against banditry.
According to Samaila, the bandits had been targeting Ille for a while before they succeeded on Monday night.
They were said to be angry with him for leading the fight against banditry.
Samaila said, “The late Ille was among the people of the town who were always trying their best to end banditry.
“He was always ready to sacrifice his life in the fight against banditry as such, the bandits were not comfortable with him.
“They had been targeting him without success until last night when they shot him in his residence.
“We really lost a brave person and a true lover of his community.”
Efforts to get the police spokesperson in the state, Yazid Abubakar, were unsuccessful as his mobile line indicated that it could not be reached as of the time of filing this report.
Also, bandits have killed about 26 people in renewed attacks on three different communities in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.
Among those killed were six personnel of the state security outfits known as ‘Benue State Community Volunteer Guards and Livestock Guards, who were deployed to mount security guard for a family who had gone to bury their loved one.
The attacks, according to locals, happened between Saturday and Monday in the Mbakunwande, Jaora communities and along the Naka-Adoka road.
In the Saturday attack, six operatives of State Volunteer Guards and Livestock Guards were reportedly killed, 14 people were also killed on Sunday and six others on Monday.
Confirming the incident to our correspondent on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Gwer West LGA, Henry Agba, said 26 people were killed and several others injured.
He said, “The attack started on Saturday, six security operatives of the state, comprising Benue Security Community Volunteer Guards and Livestock Guards, were killed.
“They (operatives) escorted the family of a deceased to a village called Mbakunwande where they had gone to bury the loved one and they ambushed them and killed them.
“On Saturday at about 11 pm they attacked a community in Jaroa and 14 people were killed.
“Also on Monday, they attacked a community along the Naka-Adoka Road where the villagers have so far recovered six dead bodies and many people were injured and receiving treatment at some clinics within the LGA.”
Agba said the incidents had been reported to the police and the State Security Adviser, who had visited the scenes of the incident.
The Special Adviser to the State Governor on External Affairs, Col. Alexis Ashungu (retd.), confirmed the incident, saying 16 people were killed
The Police Public Relations Officer in Benue State, Catherine Anene, also confirmed the attack, adding that the state Commissioner of Police had gone on an assessment tour of the area.
