Thirteen farmers have been killed by bandits at the Ijuwa fringes near the Alawa community in the Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State.
The incident was confirmed by LGA Chairman, Akilu Isyaku, during an interview with a local radio station in Minna on Wednesday.
According to Isyaku, the assailants shot and killed nine farmers on their farms, while four others were killed in a separate location on the same day. A local source told Channels Television that the bandits targeted the community, accusing its members of providing intelligence to security agencies about their activities.
Niger State’s Acting Governor, Yakubu Garba, condemned the attack, describing it as “satanic and callous.” In his statement, Garba expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, the local community, and the entire Shiroro LGA over the tragic incident.
The attack comes at a crucial time when farmers are expected to be fully engaged in their fields. The violence has caused panic among other farmers in the area, leading many to abandon their farmlands out of fear for their safety.