Key facts
- At least 20 people were killed when gunmen ambushed a convoy of traders in Nigeria's Zamfara state.
- The attack occurred on Saturday as the convoy was traveling to Nasarawa market.
- Four soldiers, three police officers, and a civil defense corps officer were among the dead.
- Twelve civilians were also killed in the ambush.
- Nineteen people were wounded in the attack, according to a military source.
- Northwestern Nigeria has experienced a rise in attacks by armed gangs known as bandits.
Gunmen ambushed a convoy of traders traveling to a market under military escort in Nigeria's northwestern Zamfara state, killing at least 20 people, according to a witness and a military source. The attack occurred around 2 p.m. on Saturday as the convoy was en route to Nasarawa market in Bukkuyum district from Gwashi.
A local resident, Musa Danladi, who helped retrieve the bodies, told Reuters that four soldiers, three police officers, a Nigerian civil defense corps officer, and 12 civilians were among those killed. A military source confirmed the attack and stated that 19 people were also wounded. Military and police authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Northwestern Nigeria has seen a surge in attacks by heavily armed gangs, known as bandits, who raid villages, abduct residents for ransom, and rustle livestock. This latest attack underscores the escalating threat posed by these criminal groups across the region.