By: John Bassey, Zamfara.
Bandits in Zamfara have reportedly killed a newly wedded bridegroom identified as Muhammad Sani Maru and abducted his wife, including six other participants, in a fresh attack at Maru, the headquarters of Maru Local Government Area of the state.
The incident was confirmed by an indigene of Maru town, who gave his name as Malam Usman, who also presented an eyewitness account of the havoc committed by the nefarious bandits to journalists in Gusau.
While narrating the unexpected event, Usman said that the bandits invaded Maru town last Sunday night, where they entered into the newlywedded family’s house with the intention of abducting the couple.
The bandits, according to Usman, did all they could to take the groom to the forest, but the groom vehemently resisted them and refused to follow them as they planned, which made the bandits pull out a pistol and fire a shot at his head, and he died instantly.
“I was listening when they asked him to ride on one of the motorcycles but he insisted that he would not go to the forest”.
“When the bandits realized that he was really not ready to follow them, one of them shot him, killing him instantly”.
Usman said they kidnapped his newlywed bride and seven other persons, comprising four males and three females.
Maru town is among the local government headquarters in the state seriously devastated by bandits’ attacks.
The divisional police officer, Kazeem Raheem, two police officers, and the Chief Imam of the town, Salisu Sulaiman, were killed by bandits some time ago.
Similarly, many people of the town were killed while several others were kidnapped.
Millions of Naira were also paid to bandits as ransom by the Maru community.
Hundreds of the inhabitants have fled the town and relocated to other places for fear of incessant assault by bandits.
The Emir of Maru, HRH Gado Maigari had narrowly escaped being killed by the bandits who invaded his palace, shooting sporadically in a bid to abduct him.
In a call of confirmation to the spokesperson of Zamfara state police command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, he said he had never confirmed the details of the attack on Maru, assuring the general public to remain calm as the incident is currently being investigated.