Terrorists raid Zamfara town, kill three officials at emir’s palace

Zurmi, the 2nd astir populous municipality successful Zamfara State successful North-west Nigeria, has been overrun by terrorists who ransacked the emir’s palace, killed 3 palace officials and abducted immoderate residents.

A coercion pack leader, Isyaku Majo, has posted a video connected Facebook claiming work for the onslaught and indicating that helium was holding hundreds of captives.

The terrorists began the attacks connected Wednesday astatine astir 9:45 p.m., according to a information study seen by PREMIUM TIMES.

The information study said the outlaws vandalised an MTN connection installation successful Zurmi successful an evident determination to disrupt connection and forestall information reinforcement arsenic they had planned to abduct the emir, Muhammadu Suleiman.

Residents said the terrorists had accused the emir, Mr Suleiman, of indifference to the plight of Fulani residents successful the country who were allegedly being maltreated by the section vigilantes.

“The terrorists killed 3 radical astatine the gross of the emir’s palace and abducted 3 others including the Shamaki (chief details) of the emir, Buhari Yusuf; and 2 different residents, Aliyu Ahmed and Sa’idu Lawali.

“It was the soldiers stationed astatine the municipality that forced the terrorists to retreat, but their people was to abduct the emir and they came connected implicit 150 motorcycles,” a nonmigratory said, asking not to beryllium named.

Damaged MTN tower

“As I talk to you, astir two-thirds of residents person fled Zurmi municipality and much radical person been fleeing regular since the terrorists overran the emir’s palace connected Wednesday,” the sources added.

Another root said the terrorists returned to the municipality connected Monday and killed 1 Malam Salisu, a idiosyncratic with the Local Government Education Authority (LGEA).

“On the aforesaid day, (Monday) they went to the residence of Sani Maidaji, they broke into the location utilizing a digger and abducted his recently wedded woman and 2 of his antheral children,” the root added.

However, the constabulary spokesperson successful Zamfara, Yazeed Abubakar, said helium was yet to beryllium briefed astir the development.

Group claims responsibility

Meanwhile, a coercion pack leader, Isyaku Majo, has posted a video showing immoderate of the abducted persons connected Facebook, including the emir’s main details, Mr Yusuf, and claimed work for the attacks.

Mr Majo, whose elder member Yakubu Majo, is the accepted caput of the Fulani assemblage successful Zurmi, vowed to unleash much mayhem connected Zurmi until the vigilantes halt persecuting Fulani radical successful his domain, a nonmigratory said.

In the video seen by PREMIUM TIMES, the blindfolded Mr Yusuf, sat alongside dozens of captives connected the floor, surrounded by equipped terrorists, and urged the emir to code the plight of the Fulanis successful the area.

Damaged MTN tower

“I americium the Shamaki, Alhaji Buhari Yusuf. Please Emir prevention your servants successful captivity successful the forest, we are supra 600 successful captivity.

“Stop sidesplitting Fulani people, their women and children successful Zurmi town, I americium pleading with the emir to summon Fulani leaders and perceive to their grievances due to the fact that their radical are being killed successful Zurmi town.”

As Mr Yusuf spoke, a dependable could beryllium heard successful the inheritance telling him him what to say.

Zurmi Emirate’s analyzable history

Zurmi is the 2nd astir populous municipality successful Zamfara aft Gusau, the authorities capital. It is on the borderline with Niger Republic and shares a bound with Katsina State.

In April 2022, the Zamfara State Government deposed Abubakar Atiku, the past Emir of Zurmi, implicit his alleged links with bandits.

Also deposed past were the emir of Dansadau, Hussaini Umar. They were accused of frustrating efforts to apprehension suspected bandits and aiding cattle rustlers.

One of the deceased LGEA officials

Mr Atiku, who aboriginal died successful an Egyptian hospital, was an uncle to the existent emir, Mr Suleiman. Residents said dissimilar the precocious emir, the existent 1 is said not to beryllium adjacent to the Fulanis.

The precocious emir was the 1 who appointed Mr Majo (senior) arsenic the accepted caput of the Fulani assemblage successful Zurmi.