At least nine farmers have been killed and several others abducted following an attack by armed bandits on a farming community in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
According to residents, the attack began at about 3 p.m. while farmers were working on their farmlands.
A resident, Ibrahim Garba, said the violence started after two suspected bandits allegedly attempted to steal a farmer’s motorcycle. He explained that the robbery attempt failed, leading to the death of one of the attackers.
Garba said the surviving bandit later returned with a larger, heavily armed group, which launched a deadly assault on farmers in the area.
So far, nine bodies have been recovered from the farmlands. Six of the victims have been identified as Habibu Danko, Zaharaddin Musa Gumu, Maibaka Mayana, Umar Maibaka, Yusufu Dankatakaki and Shaf’iu Kagadama, while the identities of three others are yet to be confirmed.
Residents also reported that several farmers were kidnapped during the attack, with fears that additional casualties may still be discovered.
Search-and-rescue efforts led by local vigilantes were suspended at night because of the difficult terrain but were expected to resume the following day.
Another resident, Ishaq Kasai, said efforts would continue to locate missing persons and recover any additional victims.
The latest attack comes just days after another incident on the Birnin Gwari–Kaduna Road, where armed bandits reportedly killed a man identified as Ya’u Gayam and made away with his motorcycle.
Community members expressed concern over the worsening security situation, saying repeated attacks have made farming increasingly dangerous despite a peace agreement reached in November 2024 between local authorities and armed groups.
The incident also follows a similar attack last month in Danauta village, where several farmers were reportedly killed and others abducted, highlighting the persistent insecurity affecting farming communities in the area.
