Zamfara Residents Flee Homes Over Fears Of Reprisals

Many villagers from communities in the western part of Tsafe local government area of Zamfara State have abandoned their villages over fears of reprisal attacks.

Villagers who spoke on grounds of anonymity revealed how they were compelled to abandon their ancestral villages for safety.

“Some security personnel deployed to our villages vacated from their strategic points two days after neutralising some bandits. Now we are afraid that the bandits may return,” one of the villagers said.

Villagers from Kunchin Kalgo and other neighbouring villages were seen packing their belongings and heading for the local government headquarters.

The Tsafe local government chairman, Hon Garba Panchase, confirmed that the villagers fled to the local government headquarters.

Hon Panchase said, the Civilian JTF vacated the area in preparation for deployment and swapping with others relocated to the area but conventional security with three heavy security machinery was still present at the location.

“The people fled their communities as a result of rumours initiated by people that do not mean well for the government,” he said.

The villagers alleged that JTF and other conventional security forces vacated the area as bandits were regrouping for reprisals.