A devastating attack by heavily armed bandits has left seventeen farmers dead and ten others severely injured in the Goron Namaye district of Maradun Local Government Area, Zamfara State.
The victims were ambushed on Friday while engaging in seasonal farming activities. Witnesses described a scene of chaos and horror as the attackers opened fire sporadically, forcing surviving laborers to flee for their lives while leaving several casualties soaked in blood across the farmlands.
In the wake of the tragedy, Hon. Maharazu Salisu, the lawmaker representing the area in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, issued an urgent cry for help. Salisu revealed that security forces were completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of bandits and could not contain the onslaught before reinforcement arrived.
He pleaded with the federal and state governments to shift its strategy and launch offensive operations directly into the terrorists’ strongholds, arguing that waiting to react to village attacks will never bring lasting peace to the state.
Local authorities and residents are reeling from the economic and human toll of the assault. The Executive Chairman of Maradun Local Government Council, Sanusi Ahmed Dosara, expressed deep shock, stating that he immediately alerted security agencies to prevent further carnage by criminals aiming to disrupt the 2026 farming season.
Meanwhile, the influx of casualties has overwhelmed the Talata Mafara General Hospital, where strained health workers are struggling to treat the wounded as grieving relatives evacuate the bodies of the deceased.
