No fewer than 30 people have been killed in a fresh bandit attack on Dutsin Dan Ajiya village in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The assault occurred on Thursday night, February 19, 2026.
According to eyewitness accounts, the armed bandits arrived on motorbikes, blocked all entry and exit points of the community, and unleashed indiscriminate gunfire on residents for several hours.
One resident told reporters: “The attack resulted in the death of at least 30 residents, both men and women. Many were wounded, and several others were abducted during the raid.”
As of Friday morning, February 20, 2026, about 30 bodies had been recovered, with many others still missing.
The incident comes just hours after a separate reprisal attack by bandits in another part of Zamfara State claimed at least five lives and left four others injured.
Counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama reported on X that the earlier violence began when a local kingpin sent a resident to collect a phone battery. The resident was attacked during the errand and the battery was seized.
Suspecting foul play, the kingpin allegedly shot and killed the resident.
In retaliation, community members killed the kingpin, triggering subsequent reprisal raids by armed bandits that left five confirmed dead and four injured.
Zamfara and other North-West states continue to face relentless attacks by bandits and other criminal groups, who kill, maim, kidnap for ransom, and loot despite years of military operations and government interventions.
The latest killings have once again raised questions about the effectiveness of security measures in the region, including the recent declaration of a state of emergency on national security by President Bola Tinubu.
