Bandits Burn Zamfara District Head’s Palace After Military Raid

Bandits launched a brazen revenge attack on Yankuzo community in Tsafe local government area of Zamfara State, torching the palace of the District Head, Babangida Hamza, and looting properties hours after a three-hour military offensive on their hideouts in the area.

The attackers, reportedly led by Mai Rasha, stormed the community on Tuesday, firing sporadically before setting the traditional ruler’s residence ablaze.

“They rode in shooting and went straight to my palace and burnt it,” Hamza recounted, revealing he was away in Tsafe town when the attack occurred. He added that family members had been safely evacuated, though casualty figures remained unclear as of Wednesday afternoon.

Residents said the assailants remained in the community for hours—until about 3:30 p.m.—carting away foodstuffs and valuables from several shops in a coordinated looting spree.

According to the district head, the attack was a direct reprisal following a military operation targeting terrorist enclaves near the community earlier in the day.

“They’ve always seen me as a target,” he said, noting he had previously relocated due to threats and was even abducted six months ago over alleged links to security forces.

The latest assault comes amid rising attacks on traditional rulers across the North-West zone, with another district head reportedly abducted days earlier in Kaura Namoda local government area of the State.

Efforts to reach the Zamfara State Police Command’s spokesperson for official confirmation were unsuccessful as of press time, leaving residents anxious in the wake of yet another deadly show of force by armed groups.