Armed attackers kill more than 20 in northwest Nigeria
At least 20 people were killed in Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria, when armed gang members attacked villages, according to AFP.
Armed gang members attacked multiple villages in Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria, on Wednesday, July 23, 2026, killing at least 20 people, AFP reported. The attack occurred between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. local time. Nasiru Lauwali, a representative of the Sauna district in the Talata Mafara local government area, told AFP that a large number of bandits invaded communities, targeting everyone they encountered.
The attacks reflect a surge in violence across northwest and central Nigeria, where armed gangs have been raiding villages in recent weeks. The groups are accused of stealing livestock and kidnapping residents for ransom.
Late Tuesday, security forces killed at least three suspected bandits in Kwara State and rescued a businessman, Tuhkur Sanni, according to Nigeria’s The Punch news website.
Kidnappings have become common in Nigeria as armed groups demand large ransoms from the government and citizens. The security crisis has been worsened partly by the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast. In 2024, attackers earned over $1.6 million in ransom payments, according to SBM Intelligence.
Earlier this month, dozens of students and teachers were rescued 56 days after being kidnapped from three schools in Oyo State, southwest Nigeria. President Bola Tinubu announced that eight suspected kidnappers were arrested and an unspecified number were killed. Defence Minister Christopher Musa said the suspects planned to use the hostages as leverage to pressure the government to release some of their commanders from prison.
