More than 300 residents have reportedly fled their homes in Zamfara State after separate bandit attacks on communities in the Dansadau axis, as another ambush along the Gwashi-Nasarawa road in Bukkuyum Local Government Area left at least 22 people dead, including four soldiers.

The attacks have affected both civilian communities and security personnel. Bukkuyum lawmaker Hamisu Faru confirmed the Sunday ambush, saying soldiers were on duty when they came under attack. He added that some of the victims’ bodies had yet to be recovered as of the time of reporting.

Military authorities also confirmed the deaths of four soldiers. Operation Fansan Yamma’s Information Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, confirmed the military casualties on Monday, although further operational details were not provided in the account.

In the Dansadau axis, bandits reportedly attacked three villages, set 12 vehicles ablaze and forced residents to flee. The attackers were also said to have demanded a levy of 50 million naira from the affected communities, placing additional pressure on residents already facing the consequences of violence and displacement.

The attacks have prompted calls for stronger protection of vulnerable communities. The Zamfara State chapter of the National Democratic Congress condemned the violence in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Kassim Almustapha Kayatawa, expressing sympathy with the families of civilians and soldiers killed.

The party urged the Federal and Zamfara State Governments to deploy more security personnel to Dansadau, Bukkuyum and other areas facing repeated attacks. It also called for a broader strategy to tackle banditry and criticised Governor Dauda Lawal over his reported trip to Ethiopia, asking him to return and address the security situation. The governor’s response was not included in the report.

With residents displaced, vehicles destroyed and casualties still being accounted for, the attacks have renewed concerns about the safety of communities in the state. Efforts to obtain a reaction from the Zamfara State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time of reporting, leaving questions about the planned response and measures to protect affected residents unanswered.