Bandits, numbering over 500, on Friday laid siege on Tsafe town, the headquarters of Tsafe local government area, in Zamfara State, to protest the arrest of Alhaji Masume, father to two notorious bandits in the State.
The siege was led by one Ado Aleru and his immediate younger brother, Sanata.
Aleru is one of the notorious bandits in Zamfara and Katsina states. In 2020, after leading attacks in four villages in one day, the Katsina Police Command placed a bounty of N5 million for anyone who provided information on the bandit’s whereabouts.
According to a local, Abubakar Balarabe, who spoke to newsmen, said the bandits blocked the railway intersection leading to Gusau, located just outside the town.
He added that the bandits divided themselves under the leadership of the two children: Aleru and Sanata.
“We counted 340 bikes. Ado led the Munhaye troops and his brother, Sanata, led the east troops”, he stated.
He, however, said they didn’t know whether the bandits’ father was released, “but we felt he has been released because if he was not released, the bandits would have attacked the town”.
The Police spokesperson in the state, SP Mohammed Shehu, didn’t respond to the SMS sent to him by this reporter on the siege.
