Over ten communities under Zurmi local government area of Zamfara State have been invaded and ransacked by suspected gunmen within the last one week.
The villages affected included, Yanbuki, Bindin, Kadamutsa, Gidan Zago, Marmaro, Dada, Maduba, Kacha, Huhu, Dangasamu, Hushin Dusti.
Report says residents of these communities have been forced out of their homes as they fled and take refuge at safer areas within and outside the local government area of Zurmi.
A source who does not want to be named told BBC Hausa service that residents of all the villages mentioned have already fled their homes and move to safer places like, Kaura Namoda, Zurmi and Gusau the state capital.
He added that, over forty people have been abducted by the bandits since last Sunday noting that the bandits have threatened to either killed or kidnapped anyone found in these villages.
On the security measures claimed to have been taken by the government, the source said, “the bandits move around freely within these villages and threatened people and with their brutality people decided to fled because there are no security operatives to defend them.
Zamfara Police command public relations officer SP Shehu Muhammad confirmed that armed police men have been deployed by the police Commissioner to continue with the patrol and surveillance of the affected areas.