Gunmen have killed 17 farmers and injured five others in Zamfara state in northern Nigeria, according to local officials and residents. The attack is the latest in a string of assaults on agricultural communities in a region long plagued by armed violence.
The attackers reportedly arrived on motorcycles on Friday and disguised themselves as visitors before opening fire on the farmers, who were working in their fields at the time. The element of surprise left those caught in the open with little chance to flee.
The bloodshed took place in the remote village of Goron Namaye, an area where farming families depend on access to their land for their livelihoods. The location, far from urban centres, is among the rural communities most exposed to such raids.
Community leaders said the dead were buried on Friday, as the village began to come to terms with the scale of the loss. Three of the injured remain in critical condition, raising fears that the death toll could climb further.
The incident is the latest in a wave of violence targeting farmers across northern Nigeria. Repeated attacks of this kind have made working the land an increasingly dangerous undertaking for rural residents.
In the region, armed gangs and extremist groups frequently raid villages, kidnap residents and demand levies from farmers seeking to access their own fields. The pattern of attacks has deepened insecurity across northern Nigeria and continues to disrupt rural life and food production.