Over 500 Cattle Stolen in Bandit Attack at Zamfara Market

From Abdullahi Abdulrahaman Chakwa Gusau

Bandits armed with advanced weaponry have taken more than 500 cattle from the Kasuwar Daji Market in the Kaura Namoda Local Government Area (LGA) of Zamfara State.

Comrade Aminu Garba, the chairman of the Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, indicated that this incident is not unprecedented, recalling a similar occurrence roughly four years ago.

"Nobody anticipated such an event; however, we faced a comparable unfortunate situation about four years back," Comrade Aminu stated.

He elaborated that it is believed the assailants infiltrated the market and the nearby communities during daylight hours, surveilling livestock transactions and movements.

The stolen cattle were reportedly purchased from various markets, including some that arrived from the Niger Republic, and were gathered at Kasuwar Daji, known to be the largest livestock market in the vicinity.

"Typically, we start buying cattle every Wednesday leading up to market day, before loading them onto trucks destined for Lagos," Aminu explained.

He noted that after rustling the cattle, the bandits fled towards the western direction of the village of Kasuwar Daji.

"The bandits numbered over 50 and were equipped with high-grade weapons. They operated under the cover of night and retreated towards the western part of the market, which is adjacent to the forest, as the market is not enclosed," he added.

Alhaji Sani Yaba Ajiyan Fawa, one of the victims, estimated that there were more than 100 attackers.

Ajiyan Fawa mentioned that the cattle that were stolen belonged to livestock breeders commonly referred to as 'Yantugu' in Hausa.

He further noted that approximately 60 of the stolen animals were eventually recovered.

"As is often the case, controlling large animals in such a tumultuous environment proves challenging. Those that were returned were the ones that dispersed during the chaos," Ajiyan Fawa remarked.

Regarding the security personnel stationed less than 200 meters from the market, Ajiyan Fawa expressed concern over the lack of timely response, stating that no action was taken until the bandits had escaped with the livestock.

In contrast, Comrade Aminu Garba attributed the raid to what he called a lack of vigilance among market security, which resulted in failure to promptly notify law enforcement.

"The caretakers of the cattle are not sufficiently aware of how to seek quick assistance from security forces," Aminu stated.

He pointed out that the stolen cattle belonged to multiple owners, emphasizing that some have shared ownership of individual animals. "Each of our cattle is distinctly marked. We are now putting internal measures in place to facilitate the recovery of the stolen livestock," Aminu concluded.