Bandit Attack in Defence Minister’s Hometown Leaves Two Dead, 40 Kidnapped

In a shocking attack on Saturday night, armed bandits raided Janboka, the hometown of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, in Zamfara State. The assault left two residents dead and resulted in the abduction of around 40 people, most of whom were women and children.

Eyewitnesses report that the attackers stormed the community in the Maradun Local Government Area, firing indiscriminately. Local resident Ibrahim Haru confirmed that the victims killed in the attack were identified as Malam Isah and a teenage boy, both of whom were shot while attempting to flee.

Despite the presence of local security forces, the bandits were able to overpower the community, raising concerns among residents about the growing frequency of attacks in the area. This incident comes just a week after 10 previously abducted residents were freed following the payment of a N10 million ransom.

The police spokesperson for Zamfara State, Yazeed Abubakar, has yet to provide an official statement on the attack. Maradun, the targeted area, is also the hometown of Minister Matawalle, who served as Zamfara’s governor prior to his current role.

As of Sunday, a headcount conducted by local residents revealed that around 40 people are still missing, deepening the community’s fear over continued insecurity in the area.