Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A local farmer, identified simply as Mansir, was killed by suspected bandits on Monday morning, 6 July 2026, while working on his farmland in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State, in the latest attack to heighten fears among rural communities already grappling with persistent insecurity. The incident was disclosed in a post shared on X by security analyst Bakatsine, who confirmed that the farmer was attacked and killed on his farm without provocation. "This morning, bandits killed a local farmer, identified as Mansir, while he was working on his farm in Isa LGA of Sokoto State, Nigeria," the post read. Bakatsine noted that the killing has heightened fears among residents of rural communities, where many farmers continue to face security threats while trying to cultivate their land. "If farmers can no longer safely work in their fields, who will feed the nation and when will this cycle of violence finally end?" he added.
The killing of Mansir is far from an isolated incident. In recent weeks, bandit attacks across Sokoto State have intensified, with farmers bearing the brunt of the violence. On 17 June 2026, suspected bandits killed four farmers and abducted at least 12 others in a daylight attack on Ghandi District in Rabah Local Government Area. According to a resident, Malam Ibrahim Umar Ghandi, the farmers were working on land on the outskirts of the community around 11 a.m. when armed assailants stormed the area. "They shot four of the farmers dead and abducted several others who were working in the area," he said. A member of the Sokoto State Community Guard Corps confirmed that 12 abducted victims had been identified, with one other person sustaining injuries and receiving treatment in hospital.
The attacks have been particularly devastating in Isa Local Government Area, where Mansir was killed. In January 2026 alone, at least 12 people were killed and 43 others kidnapped across villages in Isa and Sabon Birni local government areas, according to a local community leader. The renewed attacks in Isa come amid wider concerns over the persistence of banditry in the North-West, where communities have endured years of farm disruptions, mass displacements, school abductions, and shrinking civic presence due to insecurity. In a separate incident on 6 June 2026, troops of the 8 Division of the Nigerian Army repelled a bandit attack on a Forward Operating Base in Tidibale village of Isa Local Government Area, rescuing two farmers who had been abducted by the criminals.
The violence has not been confined to Isa LGA. Between Wednesday, 1 July 2026, and Thursday, 2 July 2026, no fewer than 30 villages in Danchadi District of Bodinga Local Government Area were sacked by bandits, leaving at least six people dead and hundreds displaced. The attacks, which were confirmed in a report signed by the District Head of Danchadi, Alhaji Lirwanu Mafaran Kuwarun Sarkin Musulmi, resulted in the rustling of more than 1,000 livestock, including cattle and camels. The district head described the humanitarian situation as dire, saying many residents were still traumatised by the attacks. "My people are living in fear and confusion. Some women are still searching for their husbands after the attacks," he said. Another resident, Malam Mainasara Danjumma, recounted how armed men stormed his village at about 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday while many residents were on their farms. He said the attackers remained in the community until midnight, moving from house to house, looting valuables, assaulting women, and killing the village's Chief Imam, Malam Bashar Kyaluje.
The attacks have forced many farmers to abandon their farmlands, threatening agricultural activities during the rainy season. In Ghandi District, a resident named Malam Ibrahim Umar Ghandi told Newswatch that he had stopped cultivating his farmland because of recurring security threats. "It was close to my farmland where the attack occurred. Because the land is located on the outskirts of Ghandi, I stopped cultivating it," he said. The displacement of farmers has raised fears of a looming food crisis, as Sokoto State is a major agricultural producer in Nigeria's North-West region. The United Nations has previously warned that banditry and farmer-herder conflicts in the region threaten food security across the country.
Security agencies have been struggling to contain the violence despite intensified operations. Troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA and other security agencies have been deployed across Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara states to dismantle bandit networks and restore peace to affected communities. However, several communities in eastern Sokoto, particularly in Rabah, Sabon Birni, Goronyo and Isa local government areas, continue to grapple with attacks, kidnappings and cattle rustling. When contacted, the spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufa'i, said he had yet to receive details of the latest incident. "I am not aware of the attack at the moment, but I will contact the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area to obtain details and get back to you," he said. As of the time of filing this report, security authorities had yet to issue an official statement on Mansir's killing or efforts being made to apprehend the perpetrators.
The cycle of violence in Sokoto State has drawn condemnation from civil society organisations and community leaders, who have called on the Federal Government to take more decisive action to end the bloodshed. The killing of farmers like Mansir, who are simply trying to feed their families and contribute to the nation's food supply, underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive security strategy that protects rural communities and restores confidence in the country's ability to ensure the safety of its citizens. As Bakatsine poignantly asked: "If farmers can no longer safely work in their fields, who will feed the nation and when will this cycle of violence finally end?" For the people of Isa LGA and countless other communities across Nigeria's North-West, that question remains unanswered.
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