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At least 28 people, including 20 miners, were killed on Thursday during a series of coordinated attacks by armed bandits in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The attacks, which occurred around 11:30 a.m., targeted the communities of Gobirawa Chali, Damaga, and Lugga. Residents described the assaults as sudden and brutal, with gunmen reportedly arriving in large numbers.
In Gobirawa Chali, the worst-hit village, over 20 miners were killed when heavily armed assailants opened fire at a mining site.
Reuters quoted a resident, Ismail Hassan, as saying that “gunmen in their hundreds opened fire on miners on Thursday afternoon and a firefight ensued,” leading to numerous fatalities.
Another local, Isah Ibrahim, confirmed that 21 bodies were recovered after the incident, with several others injured.
Amnesty International, in a statement issued Friday, confirmed the attack, stating that the assailants went door-to-door in Gobirawa Chali, killing more than 20 people.
In Damaga, five people were reportedly killed, while three others lost their lives in a simultaneous assault on Lugga.
A resident of Lugga recounted how the attackers surrounded the village, fired indiscriminately, and rustled livestock.
“They also stormed Damaga where they killed five persons. We don’t know the motive behind the latest attacks because the last time bandits attacked our community was over a year ago,” he said.
Speaking under condition of anonymity, another local source noted that the casualty figure could have been much higher if not for the swift response of the Nigerian military.
Ground troops and a fighter jet reportedly arrived during the attack, engaging the bandits in a firefight that led to the deaths of several of the assailants.
The attacks have once again highlighted the persistent insecurity in Zamfara State, where banditry has plagued many rural communities despite ongoing military operations in the region.
When contacted, the spokesman of the Zamfara State Police Command, DSP Yazid Abubakar said he was yet to be briefed about the latest attacks.
