Grief swept through Zamfara State on Friday after armed bandits stormed Dutsin Dan Ajiya village in Anka Local Government Area, killing scores of residents in a night of bloodshed that has left families shattered and the community in mourning.

Residents said the attackers, heavily armed and moving in large numbers, invaded the village late Thursday evening. Witnesses recounted that the assailants fired repeatedly and sealed off access roads, preventing villagers from escaping. By dawn, dozens lay dead, while many others were injured or missing.

Local sources estimated that at least 30 people were confirmed dead shortly after the attack, though other reports put the casualty figure at no fewer than 50. Several bodies were wrapped in white cloth ahead of a mass burial, reflecting the scale of the tragedy. Community members said the raid lasted into the early hours of Friday, leaving homes burnt and properties destroyed.

A member of the state assembly representing Bukkuyum South, Hamisu Faru, said the attackers operated from about 5:00 p.m. on Thursday until around 3:30 a.m. on Friday. According to him, the gunmen moved from one section of the village to another, shooting at fleeing residents and setting buildings ablaze.

One resident, Abdullahi Sani, 41, said three members of his family were killed. He described a night of terror and confusion, adding that villagers had earlier alerted security agencies after spotting more than 150 motorcycles conveying the attackers toward the community, but help did not arrive in time.

Efforts to reach the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force in the state, Yazid Abubakar, were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report. An aide to the state governor also said the government would respond, but no official statement had been issued.

The assault came barely 24 hours after the Zamfara State Government presented Armoured Personnel Carriers and a surveillance drone to security operatives to strengthen the fight against banditry. The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, who received the equipment on behalf of the military, had urged troops of the Nigerian Army to intensify operations and take decisive action against armed groups that refuse to surrender.

Zamfara remains one of several North-Western states grappling with persistent attacks despite ongoing military operations. Recent weeks have witnessed similar incidents in neighbouring states. In Kebbi, dozens were reportedly killed in Bui District of Arewa Local Government Area during a cattle-rustling raid. In Sokoto State, suspected Lakurawa militants attacked Maganho community in Tangaza LGA, leaving casualties and carting away livestock. Katsina State also recorded a deadly raid in Doma town, Faskari LGA, earlier this month.

Security analysts have weighed in on the latest killings. The Executive Director of the Foundation for Peace Professionals, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, argued that the tragedy does not signal a new wave of violence but rather highlights the persistence of long-standing security challenges. He maintained that Nigeria’s security framework remains largely reactive, with forces frequently redeployed from one hotspot to another, leaving previously secured communities vulnerable.

Hamzat called for decentralised policing, insisting that the creation of state and local police structures would provide stronger grassroots intelligence and sustained presence in rural communities. Without such reforms, he warned, rural areas may continue to face cycles of attack and reprisal.

Another security expert, Akin Adeyi, urged authorities to shift from defensive responses to proactive operations. He suggested that intensified offensives and coordinated intelligence-sharing among the military, civil defence, and other paramilitary agencies are necessary to disrupt armed groups before they strike.

For residents of Dutsin Dan Ajiya, however, policy debates offer little immediate comfort. As mass burials proceed and families search for missing loved ones, the community confronts the painful task of rebuilding amid uncertainty and fear.