Saturday, February 20, 2026 l Dalena Reporters
A deadly assault on a rural community in Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria, has plunged the region into fresh horror, with armed gunmen killing dozens of villagers and abducting women and children in a brutal overnight raid that lasted into the early hours of Friday. The violence is one of the latest episodes in a prolonged security crisis that continues to devastate communities across the northwest.
According to residents and security sources, the attackers heavily armed and mobile began their assault on Thursday evening, opening fire on inhabitants and blocking escape routes to prevent anyone from fleeing. By the time the raid ended around dawn on Friday, at least 50 people had been killed and an undetermined number of women and children were taken captive.
One eyewitness recounted how the gunmen “blocked all access roads linking the community, then began shooting at sight,” leaving villagers with little chance to escape. Survivors described scenes of panic, with many fleeing into surrounding bushes to seek safety.
Local lawmaker Hamisu Faru told international news agencies that the attackers moved across several settlements, burning homes and shooting villagers as they tried to flee into the night. His account aligns with video footage showing corpses covered in white cloths in preparation for mass burial ceremonies in the affected area.
A resident, Abdullahi Sani, said he lost three family members in the raid, highlighting the deep personal toll the attack has inflicted on ordinary citizens. “No one slept yesterday, we are all in pain,” he said.
The violence erupted despite recent efforts by the state government to strengthen security, including provision of military equipment such as armoured personnel carriers and drones to combat banditry — a measure that came only a day before the massacre.
Zamfara and neighbouring northwestern states have been plagued by armed “bandit” groups for years, whose attacks often involve mass shootings, kidnappings for ransom, and the burning of homes and farmlands. Despite continued military operations, insurgent attacks have persisted, prompting concerns that the region’s security architecture remains overstretched and unable to protect vulnerable communities.
As relatives mourn the dead and authorities tally the missing, the recent assault underscores the depth of Nigeria’s ongoing insecurity challenge in the northwest, and reignites urgent calls from civil society and political leaders for more effective protection and lasting peace.