At least 25 people were on Saturday killed in Zamfara during a raid on three villages by bandits over the farming communities refusal to pay “ransom or protection fees” before they’re allowed to farm.

The bandits were said to have in the morning of June 3 attacked the villages of Sakkida, Saulawa and Jambako in Maradun local government area of the northwestern state while residents of the villages were out to farm.

Residents of Maradun town, Adamu Sani Mukhtar Barau and Lawwali Jambako, said the bandits lured the villagers by calling for help, unknown to them, when they mobilised vigilantes to the area, they were ambushed. Many were killed and several others injured during the attack.

The bandits, according to residents, first attacked the farmers in their farms, then moved to Sakkida and Saulawa villages, where they killed more people.

The bandits had earlier warned the residents not to farm on their farmlands unless they pay “ransom or protection fees”, but had disregarded the illegal directive, leading to the Saturday morning killings.

Police spokesman in the state, Zayid Abubakar, confirmed the attacks but said only nine people were killed while five others were injured and are being treated.

He, however, debunked a report that 30 children were abducted, saying instead that nine people, comprising of boys and girls in Gora village, were abducted.

The police spokesman added that the command was on the trail of the fleeing bandits.