In a determined act of self-defence, residents of Matusgi village in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State successfully repelled a bandit invasion, killing at least 37 of the assailants.

The confrontation, which occurred on Wednesday afternoon, marked a significant victory for the villagers, who had been repeatedly targeted by bandits in the past.

According to a resident who wished to remain anonymous, the bandits, who arrived on motorbikes around 2 p.m., intended to abduct locals as they had done in previous attacks.

However, this time, the villagers were prepared. “We were alerted in advance and decided to take a stand,” the resident told Daily Trust.

Armed with locally-made firearms and traditional weapons, the villagers encircled the area and fought back fiercely, preventing the bandits from escaping.

The bandits initially launched their attack by firing sporadically, hoping to intimidate the villagers.

Despite the overwhelming firepower, the residents held their ground, and after an hour of intense fighting, the bandits were forced to retreat, leaving behind ten of their dead.

Refusing to let the attackers regroup, the villagers reorganized and set up an ambush, which resulted in the deaths of 27 more bandits when they attempted to return.

Alhaji Ciroma Muhammad, the District Head of Matusgi, confirmed the incident and acknowledged the heavy toll on the community.

“Three of our people were killed during the clash,” he said. Alhaji Muhammad also revealed that the bandits had attacked the village 12 times before this latest incident.

“Three weeks ago, they kidnapped 23 people, mostly women, and demanded a ransom of N150,000 per person. After payment, only seven women were released, and the rest are still in captivity,” he added.

The District Head expressed concern over the frequent attacks and the increasing boldness of the bandits.

He added that neighbouring villages had reported seeing the bandits transporting the bodies of their fallen comrades on motorbikes after the clash.