Last night bandits invaded the town of Tsafe, the headquarters of Tsafe LGA of Zamfara State and killed four people including the son of the State Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, the DIG at the retired Ibrahim Mamman Tsafe.

In recent times, many local government communities have witnessed a spike in fatal assaults and kidnappings by bandits.

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In February, gunmen shot dead a muezzin as he called for Subhi prayer in Magazu, a community 5 km south of the town of Tsafe.

The bandits, believed to be fleeing military operations in some states, are gradually turning parts of the local government of Tsafe into their new haven.

Residents told the Daily Trust that the criminals, wearing military uniforms, stormed the Shiyar Namada area near the commissioner’s residence and opened fire on people.

“Some locals who had spotted them earlier mistook them for security guards on routine patrol, so they didn’t bother to raise the alarm.

“The commissioner’s son, alongside other people, was sitting outside his father’s residence during Iftar (breaking the fast) when suddenly gunmen showed up and started shooting everyone in seen.

“During the attack, most of the people observing the Tarawih prayer in several mosques in the area and the residents had to flee for their safety. The gunmen then retreated into the forest.

“As I speak to you, I am at the Waziri residence where preparations for the funeral of the dead are underway,” said a resident identified as Umar.

Some locals told our correspondent the attack could be retaliatory after a man suspected of being a bandit was intercepted in the area on Friday and beheaded by local vigilante otherwise known as Yan Sakai.

Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Ayuba N. Elkanah has ordered the deployment of tactical officers to Tsafe, Zamfara State Police Spokesman SP Muhammad Shehu said in a statement.

The statement read: “The Police Commissioner of the Zamfara State Police Command, CP Ayuba N. Elkanah, visited Tsafe town early this morning to sympathize with the families of those who lost life following the bandit attack on the town of Tsafe.

“He was there to also assess the existing security location in the area with a view to deploying reinforcements that would prevent future attacks on Tsafe and its surroundings.

“While in Tsafe, the Commissioner offered his condolences to the Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, DIG Mamman Ibrahim Tsafe (Retired) and the families of the other victims of the attack.

“The Commissioner of Police further directed the State CID to conduct a quiet investigation in an effort to unravel the deadly attack.

“He also assured that the deployment of additional Joint Tactical Teams would go a long way towards improving the safety and security of Tsafe and its surroundings.

“He called on residents to improve their synergy with security officers, providing credible and timely information on the activities of armed criminals,” the statement said.