BY Chinedu Asadu
Abdulaziz Yari, governor of Zamfara state, is among the 13 governors currently meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina state.
The governor, who has reportedly not visited Zamfara since suspected bandits killed 41 persons, left Abuja for Katsina on Friday.
Unknown gunmen had attacked Birane village in Zurmi local government area, killing dozens of residents.
Premium Times reported that the governor was not aware of the incident as of Thursday.
The newspaper said when it contacted Sanda Danjari, the state commissioner of information, on Thursday, he said he was yet to confirm the incident.
“I heard it on Radio France this morning, but I am yet to confirm,” Danjari was quoted to have said.
He was quoted to have said he had tried “without success” to speak with the governor regarding the incident.
Yari, who is the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), was in Abuja on Thursday.
He chaired a meeting of the forum and also attended the national economic council (NEC) meeting.
Although the police claimed 18 persons were killed in the incident, residents told journalists that at least 41 persons lost their lives.
In a statement, Muhammad Shehu, spokesman of the state police command, had said the incident was a conflict between hunters, local vigilantes and the bandits.
He said hunters in the village had accosted a cattle rustler but unknown to them, the cattle rustler later “mobilised bandits from Isah local government area of Sokoto state to attack the hunters.
“On February 14, the bandits ambushed the hunters in the bush and there was a clash that led to fatality on both sides,” Shehu had said.
“Police/military and other sister agencies reacted by combing the bush and its environs to salvage the situation and discovered 18 dead bodies.”
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