At least nine farmers were killed and several others abducted after armed bandits attacked a farming community in Kaduna State, according to a security report seen by Nigerian Mirror and local sources.
The attackers stormed farmlands outside Kakangi village in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area on Saturday, opening fire on farmers as they worked in their fields.
A security report prepared for the United Nations said nine bodies had been recovered, with six of the victims identified by local authorities.
Community leader Kabiru Ishaq, who visited the village to sympathize with residents, said 10 people were killed in the attack.
According to the report and local sources, the assault was carried out in retaliation after farmers allegedly killed a bandit during a failed robbery attempt earlier the same day.
The report said the slain bandit’s accomplices later returned with reinforcements and launched the deadly attack on the community.
Kaduna is among several states in northern and central Nigeria grappling with attacks by armed criminal gangs, commonly referred to as bandits. The groups are known for raiding communities, killing residents, kidnapping victims for ransom and looting homes.
The latest attack comes amid a rise in violence targeting farming communities during the rainy season, when many farmers return to their fields. Armed groups have increasingly demanded levies from rural communities, attacking those that refuse to comply.
The violence has persisted in Birnin Gwari despite a peace agreement brokered by local authorities with armed groups in November 2024.
Last month, at least six farmers were killed and 20 others abducted during an attack on Danauta village in the same district, according to local sources.
