At least nine farmers have been killed and several others abducted after armed bandits attacked farmland near Kakangi village in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
According to an AFP report published by Punch on Sunday, the attackers stormed the farmlands on Saturday and opened fire on farmers while they were working during the ongoing rainy season.
A security report prepared for the United Nations and seen by AFP said nine bodies had been recovered, with six victims already identified by local authorities.
However, community leader Kabiru Ishaq, who visited Kakangi village to condole with residents, said the death toll stood at 10.
The report said the attack was believed to be a retaliatory assault after farmers reportedly killed a bandit during a failed robbery attempt earlier on Saturday.
According to the security report, the slain bandit’s accomplice later returned with reinforcements and launched the deadly attack on the farming community.
Several residents were also kidnapped during the raid, although authorities have yet to confirm the exact number of those abducted.
Birnin Gwari remains one of the areas hardest hit by armed gangs commonly referred to as bandits, who frequently attack villages, abduct residents for ransom, steal livestock and destroy property.
The latest attack comes despite a peace agreement brokered by local authorities in November 2024 between farming communities and bandit groups in the area.
Last month, at least six farmers were killed and 20 others kidnapped during another attack on Danauta village in Birnin Gwari, according to local sources.
AFP, as reported by Punch, said attacks on farming communities in northern and central Nigeria have intensified during the rainy season as armed groups target villages that refuse to pay illegal levies.
