Zamfara massacre: My govt won’t abandon you, Buhari tells affected communities

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured communities in Zamfara State where bandits massacred many and burnt down four villages that his government would not abandon them.

The attacks on Anka and Bukkuyum local government areas of the state, which reportedly started on Wednesday, January 5, and lasted for about 48 hours, according to government sources, saw no fewer than 58 persons killed.

But some unofficial estimates said that about 200 people were killed by the terrorists.

In his reaction to the latest massacre in Zamfara State in a statement on Saturday, Buhari described the action of the bandits as an “act of desperation,” and said that the communities would not be abandoned to their fate.

He said, “The latest attacks on innocent people by escaping bandits in Zamfara is an act of desperation by mass murderers, who are now under relentless pressure from our military forces who are well equipped to effectively confront these enemies of humanity.”

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“In keeping with my commitment to tackling the monster of terrorism head-on, let me reassure these besieged communities and other Nigerians that this government will not abandon them to their fate because we are more than ever determined to get rid of these outlaws.

“These criminals will be history because we are not going to relent in our current military operations to get rid of these thugs who have been terrorising innocent people.

“I appeal for patience from the affected communities, even as I extend our deepest condolences to the survivors and the families of those killed. We are fiercely determined to smoke out and destroy these outlaws who have no regard for the sanctity of life.

“HQ Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force HQ are working together to get rid of these callous criminals. We are acquiring more equipment to track down and eliminate all the criminal gangs that are subjecting innocent people to the reign of terror, including illegal imposition of taxes on the communities under siege.”