ZAMFARA UNDER SIEGE: 25 Residents Abducted in Midnight Raid on Turmuzawa Village

GUNMEN ATTACK IN ZAMFARA

Turmuzawa village, a quiet farming community in the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, fell into chaos late Wednesday night after a violent raid by gunmen left the community shattered.

According to reports, the attackers arrived around 11:25 p.m., a time when most families were already indoors, resting from the day’s work. Under the cover of darkness, they came in large numbers, firing and moving swiftly from house to house. In minutes, what should have been an ordinary night turned into chaos.

Residents say at least 25 people were abducted during the attack. Men, women and possibly youths were forced out of their homes and marched into the surrounding bush. Alongside the abductions, 14 cows were reportedly rustled, a painful loss for a farming community where livestock often represents years of labor, savings, and survival.

One resident, quoted in the report, described how suddenly everything happened. People ran in different directions, some escaping into the night, others not fast or lucky enough. By morning, families were left counting losses, calling names that received no answers, and waiting for news that hasn’t yet come.

As expected, fear has settled in. Not just fear for those taken, but fear for those left behind. In many rural communities like Turmuzawa, attacks like this don’t just end when the gunmen leave. They linger, in sleepless nights, in empty homes, in farmlands left unattended because people are afraid to go back out.

Families of the abducted have appealed for urgent help, hoping security forces can act swiftly. Reports indicate that troops of Operation Fansan Yanma of the Nigerian Army, alongside other security agencies, have launched coordinated operations in the area to rescue the victims and recover the rustled cattle.

As of the time of reporting, the Zamfara State Police Command was yet to officially confirm the incident. Still, for the people of Turmuzawa, confirmation is not needed, they lived it.

This is yet another reminder of how insecurity continues to disrupt everyday life in parts of the country, especially rural communities that often feel exposed and forgotten. Beyond the numbers and headlines are real people, parents, children, farmers, whose lives were interrupted in a single night.

And as the sun rises and sets again in Turmuzawa, one question hangs heavily in the air; when will communities like this finally be allowed to sleep without fear?