At least 17 people have been killed in a violent confrontation between suspected bandits and illegal gold miners in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The bloody clash, which began on Thursday, reportedly started after a notorious bandit kingpin attempted to extort miners operating at an illegal gold site in the area.
Eyewitnesses said the miners resisted the demand and mobilised to confront the armed gang, killing the bandit leader in the process. His associates later launched a reprisal attack that left no fewer than seven miners dead.
Hours later, the bandits were said to have invaded Layin Danauta, a nearby community, killing nine villagers, injuring 13 others, and abducting several residents. Houses and shops were also set ablaze during the raid.
A resident of the area, Muhammad Kabir, said that the renewed violence has thrown the community into panic and could destroy the fragile peace achieved in the region after a government-brokered truce last year.
“We have been enjoying relative peace since the peace deal was signed, but this latest violence risks jeopardising it,” Kabir said.
Birnin Gwari, known for its rich deposits of gold and other minerals, has long been a hotspot for both banditry and illegal mining.
Security analysts have repeatedly warned that the competition over mining sites could reignite insecurity despite the peace accord reached in November 2024.
Security sources told PLATFORM TIMES that troops and local vigilantes have been deployed to the affected areas to forestall further bloodshed.
However, residents say many communities remain vulnerable due to poor communication networks and the absence of sustained security patrols.
A senior security official, who asked not to be named, described the development as “a dangerous resurgence of violence,” warning that the breakdown of the peace deal could lead to “a wider security crisis” across the northwestern corridor.
As of the time of filing this report, the Kaduna State Government and the state police command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
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