Daijiworld Media Network - Abuja

Abuja, Feb 22: Armed men killed at least 38 people in Dutse Dan Ajiya village in Nigeria’s northwestern Zamfara State, local police and authorities told AFP on Saturday.

The attack occurred between Thursday night and Friday in the remote village, which has limited access routes, according to Zamfara police spokesperson Yazid Abubakar. He said normalcy has since been restored in the area.

However, local legislator Hamisu Faru claimed the death toll was higher, putting it at 50. According to him, the assailants emerged from the Gando forest, laid siege to the village and opened indiscriminate fire, killing residents who attempted to flee.

Zamfara State, like many parts of northern Nigeria, has been plagued by insecurity driven by armed gangs locally known as “bandits”, who raid villages, loot property and carry out mass kidnappings. The region is also facing a growing jihadist threat, with extremist groups in the northwest expanding their reach southward.

These armed groups are known to operate from forested areas spanning Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi and Niger states, launching repeated attacks on rural communities.

Despite increased deployment of troops by the Nigerian army in recent years, violence has persisted.

The latest incident comes a day after attacks on seven villages in neighbouring Kebbi State by the Lakurawa group, which reportedly left dozens dead, according to police and a security report cited by AFP.

Since 2009, insurgency led mainly by Boko Haram and its rival faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has resulted in over 40,000 deaths and displaced around two million people in northeastern Nigeria, according to UN estimates.

Analysts note that criminal “bandit” groups, largely driven by financial motives, have increasingly collaborated with jihadist factions, worsening the security crisis in the region.