Suspected armed robbers kill 20 in Nigeria
- 12 years ago
Residents of a small village in the northwest Nigerian state of Zamfara bury 20 of their kinsmen.
They were killed by dozens of gunmen, suspected to be armed robbers, who stormed the village on Tuesday morning demanding money.
One victim told Reuters that he was praying in the mosque when he heard people shouting. He said one of the assailants attacked him with a machete, but he defended himself and was able to escape.
Mai Wada, the village head, said the prevailing situation is beyond the control of the residents.
He said groups of vigilantes have formed in the town to capture criminals and hand them over to the authorities.
But they are generally released after a few days and return to the village to kill those who arrested them.
A breakdown of law and order in Nigeria has created opportunities for armed gangs to engage in violent crime.
END
They were killed by dozens of gunmen, suspected to be armed robbers, who stormed the village on Tuesday morning demanding money.
One victim told Reuters that he was praying in the mosque when he heard people shouting. He said one of the assailants attacked him with a machete, but he defended himself and was able to escape.
Mai Wada, the village head, said the prevailing situation is beyond the control of the residents.
He said groups of vigilantes have formed in the town to capture criminals and hand them over to the authorities.
But they are generally released after a few days and return to the village to kill those who arrested them.
A breakdown of law and order in Nigeria has created opportunities for armed gangs to engage in violent crime.
END