Suspected Fulani cattle
herdsmen struck Yar Galadima village of Maru Local government of the state on
Saturday, killing about 70 people. This happened Barely 48 hour after gunmen
killed 22 people in two villages in Zamfara State. Eye witnesses said that the
hoodlums numbered over 70. According to them, they stormed the venue of a
meeting by
vigilance group in the village
to discuss security challenges faced by locals and security officials in the
area and the neighboring states of Kaduna and Niger.
The vigilante caucus present
included youths and community leaders from those states. The turnout in the
meeting was unusually high being the market day of the affected village which
undoubtedly attracted the attention of the armed bandits.
Midway into the meeting,
meanwhile, armed bandits stormed the venue and surrounded the entire building
wielding various forms of sophisticated weapons such as Sub-Machine Guns (SMGs)
and AK 47 rifles, sprayed bullets at those in attendance killing about 70 people on the
spot. Afterwards, they reportedly set fire on the village before fleeing.
