At least nine farmers have been killed and several others abducted after suspected bandits launched an attack on a farming community in Kaduna State, northwestern Nigeria.
The attack occurred on Saturday in Kakangi village, located in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area, where the assailants reportedly stormed farmlands and opened fire on farmers working on their fields.
According to a security report prepared for the United Nations, nine bodies had been recovered following the attack, with six of the victims already identified by local authorities.
A community leader in Birnin Gwari, Kabiru Ishaq, who visited the village to sympathise with residents, however, said 10 people lost their lives in the incident.
Sources said the attack was carried out in retaliation after local farmers reportedly killed a suspected bandit during an attempted robbery earlier the same day.
The security report stated that the slain bandit’s accomplice later returned with more armed men and launched a revenge attack on the community, targeting farmers on their farmlands.
Several residents were also reportedly kidnapped during the assault, although the exact number of those abducted has yet to be confirmed.
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The latest violence comes amid renewed attacks on farming communities across northern and central Nigeria as the rainy season progresses. Armed groups, including criminal gangs locally known as bandits, have intensified assaults on rural communities, often demanding illegal levies, carrying out kidnappings for ransom, rustling cattle, and looting villages.
Kaduna remains one of the states most affected by the activities of armed gangs despite repeated security operations.
The Birnin Gwari axis has witnessed a series of deadly attacks in recent months, even after a peace agreement brokered by local authorities and armed groups in November 2024.
Last month, at least six farmers were killed while 20 others were abducted during an attack on Danauta village, also in Birnin Gwari, according to local sources.
The latest incident has renewed concerns over the worsening security situation in farming communities, with residents calling for stronger measures to protect lives and farmlands.