At least 17 farmers were killed and 13 others injured in an attack by armed gunmen in northwestern Nigeria, according to local officials and residents.
The attack took place on Friday in the town of Goron Namaje, located in the Maradun area of Zamfara State in northwestern Nigeria, the Associated Press (AP) reported. No group has claimed responsibility for the latest assault carried out by armed bandits.
“The farmers were working in their fields when the bandits suddenly attacked them and killed 17 farmers,” said Shehu Musa, a resident of Maradun.
He added that the injured victims are receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.
“This attack is a consequence of the Zamfara State government’s refusal to negotiate with the armed groups,” said Sanusi Dosara, chairman of the Maradun Local Government Area.
Dosara called on government security forces to destroy the Bayan-Ruva camp in the Maradun Forest, where the attackers are believed to be hiding.
On Thursday, 39 people were abducted in Magamin Didi, a settlement in Maradun, while local residents were meeting with the parents of a suspected bandit leader in an effort to negotiate peace and address the ongoing problem of frequent kidnappings.
According to United Nations data, violence and kidnappings carried out by armed gangs in northern Nigeria have killed thousands of people and displaced millions, despite repeated promises by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to curb the crisis in the country’s northwestern region.
