The Public Relations Officer of the Zamfara Police Command, SP Muhammad Shehu, made the confirmation in a statement issued in Gusau.
“We wish to confirm that on Dec. 19, a group of armed bandits attacked some villagers of Gidan Halilu Village in Billashe district of Birnin Magaji Local Government Area in their farms.
“On receiving the report, the command mobilised teams of Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Unit and conventional personnel headed by the Area commander, Kaura Namoda Police Area Command, to the affected community.
“The police teams have been mobilised to the affected village to repel the attack, restore normalcy and arrest the perpetrators,’’ he said.
The Zamfara Police confirmed that five corpses were recovered while one person was injured.
The corpses were taken to a hospital in Birnin Magaji while the injured was admitted for treatment.
According to Shehu, the area has been subjected to extensive bush combing with a view to preventing further attacks.
The Zamfara police spokesperson said that fear reduction and confidence building patrols, as well as stop and search exercise, were ongoing in the area.
Shehu, who said normalcy had been restored in the area, appealed to residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movement to the nearest police station for prompt action.
(NAN)