https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/05/02/zamfara-residents-cordon-emirs-palace-kill-seven-suspected-bandits/

Residents of Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara State, on Wednesday, cordoned their emir’s palace and killed seven suspected bandits.

The armed bandits were said to be in the emir’s palace for a peace talk after their cows were confiscated following an airstrike on their base in Birnin Magaji forest.

The Nigerian Air Force has been conducting air strikes in Zamfara against the bandits whose activities have caused the deaths of hundreds of people in the past few years.

Many of the bandits have been displaced by the air strikes. Some of them reportedly returned to neighbouring communities still bearing their arms causing fear among residents.

Some residents told PREMIUM TIMES that after an airstrike on Birnin Magaji forest on April 4, many residents of nearby communities accompanied the soldiers into the forest where they found over 200 rustled cows.

The cows were impounded and kept at the emir’s palace in Birnin Magaji. However, early last week, the cattle were taken to Gusau, the state capital.

On Wednesday, about seven suspected bandits and a person suspected to be an official of the State Security Service (SSS) came to the emir’s palace. They were there to reportedly plead for the release of their cattle, residents said, asking not to be named for security reasons.

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