Charred, decapitated bodies litter Zamfara towns
Charred and decapitated bodies of insurgents have littered Malele, Muntuji, and Dansadu communities in Zamfara State following a fatal offensive with troops.
The insurgents reportedly recruited themselves from different terrorists camps, in their bid to launch a reprisal against villagers and vigilante who had in a previous battle overpowered and killed many among the terrorists.
But the villagers learned of the terrorists preparation to attack them and they promptly informed the military.
There is a claim that 69 people, who died from the attack, were buried in Mutunji community alone, while 27 and six other victims were interred in Malele and Dansadau communities respectively.
An eyewitness, Bilyaminu Dansadau, told a newspaper that there was large-scale killing and arson during the offensive, in which both sides suffered some casualties.
“On their part, the armed criminals have recorded massive losses. Decapitated and charred parts of their bodies have dotted the outskirts of the troubled communities,” Bilyaminu said.
A Nigerian BBC journalist Yusuf Anka had, on Monday, tweeted that “twelve soldiers and dozens of civilians have been killed In Malele axis of Dansadau in Zamfara.”
He claimed the insurgents killed soldiers after laying an ambush for them while they were heading to repel the attack on Malele community.
Anka concluded that the “political elites have abandoned their duties at this crucial time and are only concerned with their election campaigns,”
Under Anka’s tweet, one Ismail Ahmad, shared a photo of a man he claimed was killed in the attack.
“This my good friend was killed yesterday, when bandits attacked Matunji, Dansadau, Ahmad, tweeting under the handle @ismailahmaddmg.
Yahaya Umar, another tweep, similarly shared a photo of a soldier he claimed was his brother and died in the battle. “This is my brother , he was among the soldiers whom (sic) paid a supreme price yesterday at Malele @sixnine_dayi pls say a prayer to him”, he tweeted. Several other who commented in the thread expressed their grief over the loss of lives.
While the police and the army have declined to comment for the story, the Nigerian Air Force, through its spokesperson Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, confirmed the incident.
Credit: Daily Trust, with additional report by TheCornet News
