No fewer than 30 people were reportedly killed on Sunday evening after heavily armed bandits attacked travellers along the Magami–Dansadau highway in Zamfara State.
As reported by Daily Post, the deadly assault, described by residents as one of the worst recorded on the route this year, occurred between Magami and Gusau when the attackers reportedly opened fire on moving vehicles in a coordinated ambush.
Confirming the incident on Monday, the spokesman for the Zamfara Community Protection Guard, Abubakar Gummi, said the victims included civilians, local hunters and a member of the community protection outfit.
According to him, 21 civilians, eight local hunters and one community protection guard lost their lives during the attack.
Gummi explained that security operatives and members of the community guard swiftly responded to the incident and engaged the attackers in a gun battle.
He added that several bandits were reportedly killed during the exchange of fire, although he did not specify the exact number of casualties suffered by the attackers.
The Magami–Dansadau highway has remained one of the most dangerous routes in Zamfara South due to persistent attacks by armed groups targeting commuters, farmers and traders.
The road serves as a major link between rural communities and Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, making it an important route for commercial and social activities despite the growing security threats.
Security sources disclosed that bodies of the victims had been evacuated to nearby hospitals and health centres, while injured survivors were receiving medical attention for varying degrees of injuries.
As of the time of filing this report, the Zamfara State Government had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.