At least 17 farmers were killed and several others injured after armed bandits attacked Goron Namaye community in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Gatekeepers News reports that the victims were reportedly working on their farms when the gunmen stormed the area and opened fire.
According to local authorities, 10 to 13 people sustained varying degrees of injuries during the attack and were taken to hospital for treatment. The assailants were said to have ambushed the farmers on Friday while they were carrying out their normal farming activities.
The chairman of Maradun Local Government, Sanusi Dosara, condemned the killings and called on security agencies to intensify operations against bandits operating from the Bayan-Ruwa forest, which is believed to serve as a hideout for criminal gangs terrorising communities in the area.
The attack comes amid worsening insecurity in Zamfara. Just days earlier, dozens of residents were reportedly abducted in nearby Magamin Diddi during a meeting aimed at exploring possible peace talks with bandits.
A member of the House of Representatives, Aminu Jaji, appealed to the federal government and security agencies to take urgent action to protect rural communities and farmlands from recurring attacks.
He warned that the continued violence is threatening livelihoods and worsening the humanitarian situation in the state.
