At least 21 villagers were killed in an attack by armed bandits in Zamfara state, northern Nigeria, according to local residents cited by AFP on Saturday. The assault occurred on Friday in Bunkasau village of Bukkuyum district, where dozens of gunmen arrived on about 80 motorcycles. Villagers attempted to resist, leading to a gun battle between the two sides.

Zamfara, located in northwestern and central Nigeria, has long suffered from repeated assaults, kidnappings, and looting by criminal groups locally known as bandits. Police spokesperson Yazid Abubakar confirmed awareness of the incident and said an investigation was underway but provided no further details. Local community leader Lawali Umar said villagers had stopped paying extortion money to the bandits and instead used the funds to buy weapons for self-defense.

The violence in the region initially stemmed from disputes between herders and farmers over land and water but has since evolved into organized cattle rustling and kidnapping networks. Despite military deployment and peace efforts since 2015, such attacks continue to persist.