Gunmen Kill 50 Gold Miners in Zamfara State, North-West Nigeria

Unidentified gunmen yesterday invaded Bindin village in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, killing over 50 informal gold miners.

One of the survivors who pleaded anonymity, told THISDAY that the gunmen attacked the miners while they were working at the mining site. 

According to him, the gunmen numbering over hundred surrounded the mining site around 6p.m. on Monday in Bindin village while hundreds of miners were busy at the mining site.

“I cannot tell you precisely why the gunmen launched the attack on our mining site but I think the gunmen were on their way to attack Bindin community, but could not achieve the plan without clearing people like us nearby,” he said.

He disclosed that at least 42 corpses were conveyed to a hospital in Dangulbi town, while more corpses were believed to be lying in the mining pits.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Shehu Muhammad, said the command had already deployed men to the affected village to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators and the restoration of law and order.

He said the command recorded the death of 37 people so far, following compilation by officers of the command.

Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Maru Local Government Area, Alhaji Salisu Isa Dangulbi, told journalists that the attack on the miners was sequel to the inability of the gunmen to reach the community due to the presence of security personnel there.

Dangulbi however, was unable to ascertain  the number of people that were killed by the gunmen and those that sustained injuries in the area.

Meanwhile, Governor Abdulaziz Yari has condemned the attack.
In a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication, Alhaji Ibrahim Dosara,  described the killing as barbaric and inhuman.

The statement  expressed the governor’s heartfelt sympathy to the families of the victims and pledged to continue to collaborate with security agencies to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators.

“The state government is determined to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice and would not fold its arms to watch the perpetrators of criminal activities go scot free in the state.

“In fact, the governor has declared his official trip to the United States of America earlier scheduled today morning to monitor the US presidential election cancelled and will rather meet with President Muhammadu Buhari on security challenges bedeviling Zamfara State.

“A team of experts have already been constituted by the Governor to thoroughly investigate the heinous attack and killing of  innocent citizens,” the statement concluded.

Culled from: ThisDay Newspaper 

Image credit: bbc.com