From Maiharaji Altine, Gusau
Bandits have shot dead eight farmers in their farmlands in Damaga village of Maradun Local government area in Zamfara state today.
A farmer, Mohammed Sani who narrowly escaped death told Analyzer News on phone that, the bandits invaded the farmlands around 9 o’clock in the morning of today when the farmers were busy clearing their farms for this year’s rainy farming season.
According to him, “The bandits who were on motorcycles invaded our farms around 9 o’clock in the morning and began to shoot whoever they met in his farmland”.
“They were able to kill eight people and wounded many, while others ran helterskelter for their lives”.
“As I am talking to you now, we are at the burial ground with the security agencies, trying to bury those who have lost their lives”.
“They have earlier warned that, they would not allow us to farm this year, but because the Government has promised to provide us with enough security, we decided to go and clear our farms now that the farming season is around the corner”.
“Unfortunately for us, the bandits have kept to their promise and attacked us in our farms, killing eight of us”. Concluded Sani.
Contacted for comment, the spokesperson of the police Command, SP Mohammed Shehu said, “The Command is currently investigating the issue”.
Shehu said’ “I will get back to you as soon as we finish our investigation”.
Meanwhile, the bandits have on several occasions warned farmers in the rural areas that, they would not allow farming activities to take place this year.
Governor Bello Matawalle has been making frantic efforts to make sure that, farming activities returned to the state in full force this year.
He has directed the state police Commissioner to deploy additional reenforcement to the security proned areas in order to give adequate security to the farming communities who have since returned to farms as a result of the relative peace in the state.
