Armed bandits have attacked the Yankuzo community in Zamfara State, carrying out a revenge-style operation that included shooting and setting the palace of the District Head, Babangida Hamza, on fire.

Residents said the attackers, believed to have been led by Mai Rasha, stormed the community in the Tsafe area early Tuesday. They allegedly fired sporadically before moving to the traditional ruler’s residence, where the palace was burned.

The District Head said he was away in Tsafe town when the attack happened and that his family members were safely evacuated. However, the number of casualties remained unclear at the time of reporting.

Witnesses and residents reported that the gunmen stayed in the community for hours, until around 3:30 p.m., during which they looted foodstuffs and valuables from several shops in a coordinated operation.

According to residents, the attack followed a military operation earlier in the day that targeted terrorist enclaves near the Zamfara State community. They described the bandits as having viewed the community as a target for a long time, adding that they had previously relocated due to threats and that villagers were abducted about six months earlier over alleged links to security agencies.

The incident comes amid a wider pattern of attacks on traditional rulers across Nigeria’s North-West region. Efforts to reach the Zamfara State Police Command spokesperson for details on the incident were unsuccessful as of the time of publication.