“They had started beating the people before the Civil Defence operatives came. They burnt the car, driver and one other person, while the remaining two are with the Civil Defence," one of the eyewitnesses, a Zamfara-based journalist, said.
Two suspected arms smugglers have been burnt alive by irate youth in Gusau, capital city of Zamfara State.
The incident happened at about 4pm on Friday, along Unguwar Dallatu road, close to the New Central Market in Gusau.
Multiple sources told SaharaReporters that young men around the market discovered that there were four AK47 in a red golf car and immediately pounced on the occupants.
Isah Khamees, an eyewitness who spoke with SaharaReporters, said when the guns were discovered, the people around started shouting, which attracted more people.
One of the eyewitnesses, a Zamfara-based journalist, said: “They had started beating the people before the Civil Defence operatives came. They burnt the car, driver and one other person, while the remaining two are with the Civil Defence.
Another eyewitness said the Police did not come close to the scene. Instead, they stayed afar and watched.
Mohammedu Shebu, the Public Relations Officer of Zamfara State Command, did not respond to calls put through to him.
Apart from the banditry in the state, Zamfara has been brewing with intense political tension over the exclusion of the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) contesting for elective positions in the state.