Nine Killed In Fresh Kaduna Bandits Attack

Bandits reportedly killed at least nine farmers and abducted several others during an attack on Kakangi village in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, over the weekend.

According to The Punch, the attack, which occurred on Saturday, July 4, targeted farmers working on their farmlands outside the village.

A security report prepared for the United Nations and made public on Sunday said the attackers stormed the farmlands and opened fire on the farmers.

“Nine bodies have been recovered so far, with six of the victims identified by local authorities,” the report said.

However, a community leader in Birnin Gwari, Kabiru Ishaq, said 10 people were killed in the attack.

Ishaq, who said he visited the community to commiserate with residents, disclosed that several others were also kidnapped by the attackers.

According to him, the attack was carried out in retaliation for the killing of a bandit by farmers during a failed robbery attempt earlier in the day.

The security report also linked the attack to revenge, stating that the slain bandit’s accomplice “returned with reinforcements and launched a retaliatory assault.”

Birnin Gwari, an agrarian district in Kaduna State, has suffered repeated attacks by bandits who raid villages, kill residents, abduct victims for ransom and loot homes.

The latest attack came despite a peace agreement brokered in November 2024 by local authorities between farming communities and bandits in the area.

Naija News reports that in recent weeks, attacks on farming communities in parts of northern and central Nigeria have increased as the rainy season gets underway.

Last month, at least six farmers were killed and 20 others kidnapped during an attack on Danauta village, also in Birnin Gwari, according to local sources.