Bandits kill 17 farmers, injure others in Zamfara community

At least 17 farmers were killed and several others injured in an attack by suspected bandits on Goran Namaye village in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State. The incident occurred on Friday while the farmers were working on their farmlands, according to Ibrahim Mohammed, an indigene of the community.

Mohammed stated that the armed attackers, who were in large numbers, invaded the farmlands and opened fire on the farmers. He added that 17 farmers died on the spot, while others sustained varying degrees of injuries. The victims were later given a mass burial, and the injured were transported to a hospital in Talata-Mafara for treatment.

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Suddenly, the bandits who were in large numbers invaded the farmlands and started to shoot at the farmers.

The attack followed a warning issued by the bandits to residents, threatening to harm anyone who went to the farm during the planting season. Despite this threat, some farmers proceeded to their fields, leading to the deadly assault.

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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.

Maharazu Salisu, a member of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, condemned the attack and urged the federal and state governments to take immediate action to address the escalating insecurity. He warned that persistent attacks could deter farming activities, noting that residents live in constant fear of armed groups. Salisu highlighted that the bandits' objective appears to be stopping farming activities, as they are not demanding ransom for kidnappings.

The lawmaker stressed that the situation could lead to worsening food insecurity if not urgently resolved. He called on security agencies to intensify efforts to ensure farmers can work on their lands without fear.

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These bandits are everywhere in the local government and are bent on making sure that farming activities are stopped.