Death Toll Rises To 23 After Daylight Bandit Attack On Farmlands In Zamfara

The death toll from a daylight attack by suspected bandits on farmlands in Sauna District, Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State has risen to 23, community sources confirmed on Thursday.

Earlier reports put the number of those killed at 16. According to fresh accounts from Sauna District, the figure increased after more bodies were recovered from the farms.

Residents said the victims were attacked while working on their farmlands on Thursday morning. The attackers, who arrived on multiple motorcycles, reportedly opened fire indiscriminately on anyone found in the fields.

“Many others are still reported missing,” a community source told reporters. “The assailants came in groups and shot at farmers without warning.”

In the aftermath, the remains of all 23 victims were buried in a mass burial at the palace of the District Head in Sauna. The burial was conducted earlier today, Thursday, July 23, 2026, according to the source.

As of press time, security authorities have not released an official statement on the incident. Efforts to reach the Zamfara State Police Command and other relevant agencies for comment were unsuccessful.

Sauna District and other parts of Talata Mafara LGA have experienced repeated attacks on farming communities in recent years, with residents often targeted while working on their farms.

Community leaders in Sauna have called for increased security presence in rural areas to protect farmers during the planting and harvest seasons.