At least 12 members of the same family have been killed after suspected bandits set their home ablaze during an attack on Gidan Taba village in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The attack reportedly occurred on Saturday night, November 7, 2026, in Dosara Birnin Kaya Ward, with several other residents abducted during the raid.
The victims were members of the family of Mallam Muhammadu Sani, who reportedly gathered his relatives in a single room in an attempt to protect them from being kidnapped when the armed men invaded the community.
According to residents, the attackers discovered that the family members had locked themselves inside the room and ordered them to open the door. When they refused, the gunmen reportedly set the room ablaze, trapping those inside.
The Chairman of Maradun Local Government Area, Sanusi Ahmed Dosara, confirmed that 12 members of the family, including the father, his wives and young children, died in the incident.
Dosara, who reportedly led the funeral prayers for the victims on Sunday, said they died from the intense heat generated by the fire after the attackers set the room ablaze.
However, there have been conflicting reports about the exact number of casualties. While the local government chairman confirmed 12 deaths, the Zamfara State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, reportedly put the figure at 11, citing information received from the Divisional Police Officer.
The chairman also disclosed that several other residents were abducted during the attack, although the exact number remained unknown.
He said local vigilantes subsequently engaged the attackers in a gun battle and managed to rescue some of the abducted residents.
In another account, Dosara alleged that security personnel failed to respond promptly despite receiving distress calls during the attack. He said he contacted security officers and visited a nearby military facility to seek explanations over the response.
The police spokesperson, however, said security operatives were pursuing the perpetrators and working to restore normalcy in the affected community.
The attack has renewed concerns over the security situation in Zamfara State, where armed groups have continued to carry out killings, kidnappings and raids on rural communities.
Residents have called on the state government and security agencies to strengthen security operations and improve protection for vulnerable communities.