Zamfara, Nigeria: Bandits Kill Over 20 Farmers in Sauna District

On July 23 2026 armed bandits attacked farms in the Sauna district of Talata Mafara Local Government Area, Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria. Residents said the gunmen rode motorcycles, entered the fields in the early afternoon and opened fire on farmers working the land. Reported death tolls range from at least 20 to 24, with some sources later confirming 23 victims and a mass burial of the bodies.

Local official Nasiru Lauwali told AFP, "Today, between 3 pm and 4 pm, a large number of bandits have invaded our communities, targeting all the people they meet." The assault also wounded several people and resulted in the theft of livestock. Security forces later killed three suspected bandits in Kwara State and rescued a businessman, Tuhkur Sanni.

The incident is part of a broader wave of bandit violence in northwest and central Nigeria, where groups raid villages, kidnap residents for ransom and have generated more than $1.6 million in ransom payments in 2024. Amnesty International condemned the killings, calling the state’s security strategy ineffective. Separate reports indicated that more than 40 people remain kidnapped after a series of attacks that displaced residents from dozens of villages and threatened the Zamfara‑Sokoto highway.