At least 10 farmers have been killed and several others abducted after terrorists launched a deadly attack on a farming community in Kaduna state, in what residents described as a reprisal assault.
The attack occurred on Saturday in Kakangi village, Birnin Gwari Local Government Area, where gunmen reportedly invaded farmlands and opened fire on farmers carrying out agricultural activities.
A security report prepared for the United Nations and obtained by AFP indicated that at least nine bodies had been recovered from the scene, with six of the victims already identified by local authorities.
However, Kabiru Ishaq, a community leader from Birnin Gwari, who visited the village after the incident, said 10 people were killed in the attack.
According to security sources, the assault was allegedly carried out in retaliation after local farmers reportedly resisted an attempted robbery earlier in the day and killed one of the attackers.
The report stated that surviving members of the gang later returned with reinforcements and launched a coordinated assault on the farming community, killing several people and abducting others.
Birnin Gwari remains one of the worst-hit areas by armed banditry in northwestern Nigeria, with criminal groups frequently targeting villages through killings, kidnappings and destruction of property.
The latest attack comes despite a peace agreement reached in November 2024 between local authorities and armed groups aimed at ending years of violence in the area.
Last month, suspected bandits also attacked Danauta community in the same local government area, killing at least six farmers and abducting about 20 others.