A deadly attack by a group of gunmen suspected to be bandits has led to the death of 10 farmers in the Kaura Namoda area of Zamfara state.
The armed men reportedly invaded the predominantly farming village at midnight, unleashing a hail of gunfire on sleeping residents, who were caught completely off guard and unable to defend themselves.
As gathered, several villagers sustained injuries of varying severity while attempting to flee the assailants during the Wednesday attack, with some suffering from gunshot wounds, while others were hurt in the chaos and panic that ensued.
According to a source, the bandits planned to kidnap the villagers as retaliation for the farmers’ refusal to pay imposed royalties, which the bandits had been demanding for some time.
“Intelligence sources confirmed that at around 0130hrs, armed bandits stormed the village, opening fire and killing over 10 farmers,” he stated.
He added that the attackers also kidnapped several other locals during the raid, though the number and identities of those taken remain unclear, leaving families and community members in a state of anxious uncertainty.
As of the time of filing this report, Local authorities are reportedly making arrangements to visit the affected community to determine the exact toll of the assault and coordinate a response.
