Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A brutal bandit attack on farming communities in the Sauna District of Talata Mafara Local Government Area, Zamfara State, has left at least 23 farmers dead, with several others wounded and many still missing, according to multiple reports from Reuters, Daily Nigerian, Tribune Online, Vanguard, and Leadership. The attackers, who arrived on numerous motorcycles, stormed the communities at about 1:00 p.m. GMT on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, and opened fire on farmers working on their farmlands, a resident told Reuters. The attack lasted for about three hours, according to another resident, Bello Aliyu, who also confirmed that the bandits rustled an unspecified number of livestock.
Residents said the attackers first rode through the villages without harming anyone, but later returned and opened fire on farmers working on their farmlands, chasing and killing those who attempted to escape. "They killed 23 people. They attacked them on their respective farms, pursued those who ran for safety and killed them," a resident told the Daily Nigerian. The death toll initially stood at 16, but rose to 23 after more bodies were recovered from nearby bushes. Another resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed the death toll could be as high as 25, noting that efforts were still ongoing to ascertain the exact number of casualties. "The bandits returned and attacked the village around 3:00 p.m. yesterday. We are still compiling and tracing those who lost their lives," the resident said.
The victims, mostly farmers, were reportedly targeted while working on their farms, with the attackers opening fire indiscriminately on anyone found in the fields. "Many others are still reported missing. The assailants came in groups and shot at farmers without warning," a community source told Leadership. Following the attack, the remains of the 23 victims were buried in a mass burial at the palace of the District Head in Sauna on Thursday, July 23, 2026. The Zamfara State Police Command confirmed the attack, with the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar, stating that at the time they received the report, 15 people were killed, but the figure later rose to 23 after more bodies were recovered. The police have deployed additional personnel to the area and are working to track down the attackers.
Amnesty International has strongly condemned the killing, describing the attack as further evidence that the security measures adopted to tackle insecurity in the state are ineffective. Sauna District and other parts of Talata Mafara Local Government Area have witnessed repeated attacks on farming communities, with residents frequently targeted while carrying out agricultural activities. Residents have appealed to Governor Dauda Lawal and the Federal Government to deploy more security personnel to the area to curb recurring attacks and safeguard farming communities. They warned that continued killings and kidnappings of farmers could worsen food insecurity in Zamfara and other parts of the country.
As of the time of filing this report, the Zamfara State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident or confirm the casualty figure. Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the state Police Command were unsuccessful. The attack has once again highlighted the persistent insecurity in Nigeria's North-West, where armed gangs, locally known as bandits, frequently raid villages, kidnap residents for ransom, and steal livestock. The residents said the gunmen travelled nearly 50 kilometres along the Mayanchi-Anka highway, a key trade route, before reaching Sauna without encountering security forces. Community leaders in Sauna have called for increased security presence in rural areas to protect farmers during the planting and harvest seasons.
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