Before attacking a military base in Zamfara, the terrorists had served an eviction notice, asking villagers to vacate their communities. Their offence was allowing soldiers to raid their terror camps.

In a broad daylight raid, motorcycle-riding terrorists set a military vehicle ablaze in the Mada town of Zamfara state, North West Nigeria.

The criminal gang invaded the town around 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7, and opened fire on soldiers manning a military base in Mada, near a local market. The soldiers responded to the attack, leading to a gun duel that lasted for about an hour.

Witnesses said the terrorists, who seemed to have outnumbered the soldiers, set a military vehicle ablaze during the attack in Mada. They warned villagers to stop sending soldiers to their camps if they wanted peace.

“We allowed several villages to live in peace because they allowed us to do what we wanted,” the terrorists were quoted saying.

Salim Abubakar, a resident in Mada, told HumAngle that before the attack on soldiers, the terrorists had served them an eviction notice to vacate their communities “because of the ongoing military onslaught against them [the terrorists].”

“I was inside the market for my business but got confused when we heard gunshots flying over the market area,” Abubakar said. “I lost my phone, ran away from my stall and lots of my valuables. Everyone was terrified by the heavy sounds of guns in exchange of fire between the armed group and the soldiers.”

HumAngle contacted Yazid Abubakar, the Police Public Relations Officer in Zamfara, for comments, but he could not be reached when this report was filed.