Suspected armed bandits have launched a fresh attacked and killed over 20 farmers at Gidan Goga area of Maradun local government area of Zamfara state.

Resident of the area who pleaded anonymity told our Correspondent via telephone interview.

According to him, the bandits attacked the farmers who were busy cultivating their farms on Wednesday and attempted to kidnap some of them.

“The bandits attacked them in an attempt to kidnap some of the farmers but haven realized that the farmers began running Helter skelter, they began shooting them one after the other and as I am talking to you now, we have 22 bodies who were brutally killed by the bandits”. He said

He also allayed fear of another attack on the community by the bandits while, calling on federal and state governments to come to their rescue quickly.

“These dreaded terrorists have promised to launch another horrific attacks on our community and we are calling on all authorities concerned to come to our aides as quickly as possible before the thing become out of hand”. He added

In response, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, ASP. Yazid Abubakar confirmed the incident but maintained that, nine people were killed, five injured and currently receiving medical attention.

“As I am talking to you now, nine people were killed, five sustained gunshots not twenty and already the combined anti terrorists teem have been deployed to the area as normalcy returned to the area”, he stressed.