The Nigerian police in Zamfara state on Saturday confirmed that nine persons were killed at Fanteka Village in Daraga District of Maru Local Government Area when gunmen attacked the community. The villagers killed three of the gunmen, making a total of nine dead.

Confirming the attack in Gusau, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Sanusi Amiru, said the incident was a reprisal attack by the gunmen.

According to the police spokesman, six of those killed were members of the community, while the other three were members of the gang gunned down by the villagers.

He said that a team of armed policemen have been able to restore peace to the affected area, while a combined team of security men were on the trail of the gunmen.

He, however, warned that the law prohibiting illegal possession of firearms was still in place and advised people against taking laws into their hands.

A witness, Sule Musa, told NAN in the village that the gunmen had on Thursday invaded the community.

He said they were chased out by the villagers, who shot and killed three members of the gang.

Musa said the gunmen returned later on the same day with more men on motorcycles and shot arbitrarily killing six and injuring several villagers.