At least nine farmers have been killed and several others abducted after armed bandits launched a deadly attack on a farming community in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The latest assault, which occurred on Saturday, was confirmed in a security report prepared for the United Nations and obtained by AFP, while local sources also provided details of the incident.
The attack comes as criminal gangs and armed groups intensify assaults on farming communities across northern and central Nigeria during the ongoing rainy season. The period traditionally marks increased agricultural activities, making farmers more vulnerable to attacks by bandits who impose illegal levies, kidnap residents for ransom and steal livestock.
According to the security report, the attackers stormed farmlands surrounding Kakangi village in Birnin Gwari and opened fire on farmers while they were working on their fields.
“Nine bodies have been recovered so far, with six of the victims identified by local authorities,” the report stated.
However, a community leader from Birnin Gwari, Mr. Kabiru Ishaq, who visited the affected village to sympathise with grieving families, disclosed that the death toll had risen to 10.
Ishaq explained that the attack appeared to be a retaliatory operation following the killing of one of the bandits by local farmers earlier on Saturday during an attempted robbery.
The security report also pointed to the same sequence of events, noting that the slain bandit’s associates returned to the village with additional armed men to carry out revenge attacks.
According to the report, the surviving member of the criminal group mobilised reinforcements after the failed robbery.
The report said the bandit’s accomplice “returned with reinforcements and launched a retaliatory assault”.
Apart from those killed, several villagers were reportedly abducted during the attack, although authorities have yet to confirm the exact number of people taken away by the gunmen.
Kaduna State remains one of the regions most affected by persistent bandit attacks, with armed gangs frequently raiding rural communities, killing residents, kidnapping victims for ransom, looting valuables and setting homes ablaze.
The latest killings also underscore the continued insecurity in Birnin Gwari despite a peace agreement reached in November 2024 between local authorities and armed groups operating in the area.
The agreement was intended to reduce violence and restore stability to farming communities that have suffered repeated attacks over the years.
However, insecurity has persisted, with attacks continuing to threaten farming activities and livelihoods across the district.
Last month, armed bandits reportedly killed at least six farmers and abducted 20 others during another attack on Danauta village in the same Birnin Gwari district, according to local sources.
