Gunmen kill 24 in Nigerian attacks
Gunmen killed 24 people in two separate attacks across Nigeria over the weekend. The incidents involved bandits in Zamfara state and jihadist groups in Niger state.
Why it matters
The escalation of violence by armed groups in Nigeria poses a significant threat to regional stability and civilian safety.
Gunmen have killed 24 people, including eight soldiers and a policeman, in two separate attacks in northwest and central Nigeria over the weekend, residents and aid workers said on Monday (October 12, 2026).
There has been a recent increase in attacks on communities in the two regions, blamed on gangs engaged in kidnapping for ransom and cattle rustling — locally referred to as bandits, and on jihadist groups.
On Sunday (October 11, 2026), gangs killed 13 people in an ambush on a convoy of traders heading to a local market in Bukkuyum district of northwestern Zamfara state, three residents told AFP.
The convoy from Gwashi was heading to Gurusu for a weekly market when bandits opened fire, the sources said.
Three Bukkuyum residents said 13 people had been killed.
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