Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Armed bandits on Sunday, June 14, 2026, killed a farmer on his farm in Kasuwar Magani, a village in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, plunging the agrarian community into mourning and underscoring the persistent threat to rural livelihoods across the North‑West region. The victim, identified as Baba Bala, popularly known within the community as Sarkin Daji, was reportedly ambushed and killed while working on his farmland, according to a PREMIUM TIMES report published on Monday, June 15, 2026.
Mansur Ibrahim, a resident of the area, told PREMIUM TIMES that the deceased has been buried in accordance with Islamic rites. He described a community deeply unsettled by the escalating insecurity, with residents expressing growing frustration over the frequency of such attacks. “This is just one out of many incidents. Residents are calling on the authorities to prioritise the security of lives and property and put an end to the impunity of the armed groups operating in this area,” Mr Ibrahim stated. The police spokesperson for the Kaduna State Command, Mansir Hassan, could not be reached immediately for comment, as calls placed to his phone number on Monday morning failed to connect.
In Kajuru and parts of the North‑West, bandits routinely target farmers on their farms, enforce illegal harvest taxes, or kidnap labourers, a development that has forced many farmers to abandon their fields and destroyed rural livelihoods. The area has witnessed audacious assaults, including the mass abduction of over 100 worshippers from churches during Sunday services, and frequent invasions of villages where entire families are marched into the forests. While the military’s joint task forces periodically launch clearance operations, the vast, rugged terrain complicates security enforcement in the region.
The killing of Baba Bala on June 14, 2026, is not an isolated tragedy. Between Saturday, June 6, and Monday, June 8, 2026, at least four persons were killed and 11 others abducted in separate attacks by suspected bandits in Kachia and Kajuru Local Government Areas of Kaduna State, according to a report by Newswatch (Nigeria) on June 10, 2026. In Kachia LGA, the attackers invaded Mafofadiya and Zagom Mazuga villages, where a resident identified as Joel Dauda was killed and seven others abducted. In Kajuru LGA, bandits invaded Kallah and Kufana villages, killing two persons identified as Jagora Dabo and Misali Adamu, while abducting Jagora Dabo’s pregnant wife and their children. Two other persons were reportedly kidnapped, and another person was killed in Kufana village, though the identity had yet to be confirmed.
The latest attacks have renewed fears among residents over persistent insecurity in Southern Kaduna, with community members alleging that violent incidents are often underreported despite repeated attacks on rural settlements. They expressed concern over the continued threat posed by bandits, saying many communities remain vulnerable to kidnappings, killings and other criminal activities. Residents called on security agencies and relevant authorities to intensify operations in the affected areas, improve protection for vulnerable communities and ensure that those responsible for the attacks are apprehended and prosecuted.
Earlier in June, bandits had also abducted nine farmers and attacked a mosque in separate incidents in Kaduna State, leaving one person dead and three others injured. In that incident, six farmers were abducted on Monday while working on their farms in Abashiya near Iburu Village, Kufana District of Kajuru Local Government Area. A community leader noted that the attackers initially abducted nine persons but released three who sustained injuries during the operation. In a separate incident on Sunday night, suspected bandits stormed a mosque in Unguwar Namama village, Kaya area of Giwa Local Government Area, killing a worshipper, injuring two others and abducting three residents during evening prayers. The spokesperson of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Mansir Hassan, confirmed both incidents, saying security agencies had launched efforts to rescue the abducted victims and restore calm in the affected communities. He noted that the affected communities share borders with Katsina State, requiring coordinated security operations, and urged communities to continue providing credible information to support security operations against banditry.
As farming communities across Kaduna State face the dual threats of violence and economic displacement, the killing of Baba Bala on his farm serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive security interventions. The police have yet to issue a formal statement on the June 14 attack, and no arrests have been reported.
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