No fewer than 17 farmers have been killed and several others injured after suspected bandits launched a deadly attack on Goran Namaye village in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The attack occurred on Friday while residents were working on their farms during the ongoing planting season, according to community sources.
An indigene of the village, Ibrahim Mohammed, told the media that the armed assailants had earlier warned residents against going to their farmlands, threatening to attack anyone who defied their directive.
Despite the threats, some farmers reportedly returned to their farms to continue cultivation activities.
According to Mohammed, the attackers, who arrived in large numbers, stormed the farmlands and opened fire on the farmers.
“The bandits invaded the farms and started shooting at the farmers. They killed 17 people on the spot, while several others sustained various degrees of injuries,” he said.
The victims were later buried in a mass funeral, while those injured in the attack were evacuated to a hospital in Talata Mafara for medical treatment.
Reacting to the incident, a member of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Maharazu Salisu, condemned the killings and urged both the Federal Government and the Zamfara State Government to take immediate action to address the deteriorating security situation in the area.
Salisu warned that the continued attacks on farming communities could severely disrupt agricultural activities and worsen food insecurity across the state and the wider region.
He noted that many residents were already living in fear due to the activities of armed groups operating in several communities within the local government area.
The lawmaker also raised concerns over ongoing cases of abduction in neighbouring communities, alleging that some victims remain in captivity despite efforts to negotiate with their captors.
“Both the state and the Federal Government should do something urgently to stop these killings; otherwise, our people will be prevented from farming this year,” Salisu said.
He added that the bandits appeared determined to halt farming activities in the area.
“These bandits are everywhere in the local government and are bent on making sure that farming activities are stopped. They are not demanding ransom from farmers when they kidnap them; their mission is simply to prevent farming activities,” he alleged.
Salisu called on security agencies to intensify operations in vulnerable communities and restore confidence among residents, stressing that farmers must be able to return to their fields without fear of attack.
The latest incident highlights the persistent security challenges facing Zamfara State, where armed bandit groups have continued to target rural communities, disrupting livelihoods and threatening agricultural production.
