At least nine farmers have been killed and several others abducted after armed bandits attacked Kakangi village in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State over the weekend.
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday, July 4, when the attackers stormed farmlands outside the community and opened fire on farmers who were working in the area.
A security report prepared for the United Nations and released on Sunday confirmed the assault, stating that the victims were targeted while engaging in farming activities.
According to the report, nine bodies have so far been recovered from the scene, with six of the deceased identified by local authorities. It also noted that several residents were taken away by the attackers during the raid.
However, a community leader in Birnin Gwari, Kabiru Ishaq, gave a slightly different account, saying at least 10 people were killed and others kidnapped during the attack. Ishaq, who visited the affected community to sympathise with residents, described the incident as another devastating blow to the area’s farming population.
He further alleged that the attack was carried out in retaliation after farmers reportedly killed a bandit during a failed robbery attempt earlier in the day.
A Reprisal Attack
The security report also supported the claim of a reprisal attack, stating that an accomplice of the slain bandit returned with reinforcements and launched a coordinated assault on the farming community.
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Birnin Gwari, an agrarian region in Kaduna State, has long been affected by repeated bandit attacks, with armed groups frequently targeting villages, abducting residents for ransom, killing victims, and looting properties.
The latest violence comes despite a peace arrangement reportedly reached in November 2024 between local authorities, farming communities, and armed groups in parts of the area.
In recent weeks, there has been a renewed wave of attacks on farming settlements across northern and central Nigeria as the peak farming season gets underway. Last month alone, at least six farmers were killed and about 20 others abducted in a separate attack on Danauta village, also in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area.