Thirteen farmers were brutally killed by bandits on their farms near the Ijuwa area of the Alawa community in the Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State.
The attack, confirmed by the LGA Chairman Akilu Isyaku during an interview with a local radio station in Minna on Wednesday, left nine victims dead on the spot, while four others were killed in a separate location the same day.
A local resident revealed that the attack may have been motivated by allegations that members of the community were providing intelligence to security agencies about the bandits’ movements.
Niger State’s Acting Governor, Yakubu Garba, condemned the attack, describing it as “satanic and callous.” In a statement, he expressed his condolences to the bereaved families, the affected community, and the entire Shiroro LGA.
The attack comes at a critical time when farmers are expected to be active on their farms, leading to widespread fear and the abandonment of farmlands by those in the surrounding areas.
