Abuja, 14 June (H.S.): At least 17 farmers were killed and 13 others injured when armed gunmen attacked agricultural workers in northwestern Nigeria's Zamfara State, highlighting the worsening security crisis in the region.

The attack took place on Friday in Goron Namaye, a community in the Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State. According to local officials and residents, the victims were working on their farmlands when heavily armed assailants stormed the area and opened fire.

Residents described scenes of panic as farmers attempted to flee the attackers. The injured were later transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment.

No group has formally claimed responsibility for the assault. However, authorities believe the attack was carried out by armed criminal gangs commonly referred to as bandits, who have been responsible for numerous killings, kidnappings and raids across northwestern Nigeria in recent years.

Local government chairman Sanusi Dosara said the violence was linked to ongoing tensions between security forces and armed groups operating in the area. He urged federal security agencies to intensify operations against criminal hideouts in the forests surrounding Maradun, particularly the Bayan-Ruwa enclave, which has long been regarded as a stronghold for armed gangs.

The latest killings occurred just one day after another security incident in the same region. On Thursday, gunmen reportedly abducted 39 people from Magamin Diddi, another community in Maradun, while local residents were engaged in discussions aimed at finding peaceful solutions to recurring kidnappings and violence.

Zamfara State remains one of the worst-affected areas in Nigeria's prolonged security crisis. Armed groups frequently target villages, attack farmers, loot communities and carry out mass kidnappings for ransom. The insecurity has severely disrupted agricultural activities and displaced thousands of residents.

Nigeria is also grappling with a long-running insurgency in its northeastern region, creating a complex security environment that continues to challenge government efforts. Despite repeated pledges by President Bola Tinubu to improve security and curb criminal violence, attacks by armed groups remain a major concern across several parts of the country.

Security agencies have launched investigations into the latest attack, while local authorities have renewed calls for stronger military action to protect vulnerable rural communities and restore stability to the region.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar