At least 24 people, including eight soldiers and a police officer, have been killed in two separate attacks in northwestern and central Nigeria, highlighting the persistent security challenges facing communities across the West African country.
The attacks occurred over the weekend in Zamfara State in the northwest and Niger State in the country’s central region, according to residents and humanitarian workers quoted by Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Monday.
The incidents involved an ambush on a convoy of traders travelling to a local market and a separate raid blamed on suspected jihadist militants.
The violence also left several people injured and forced residents in one of the affected areas to flee across the border into neighbouring Benin for safety.
Traders’ convoy ambushed in Zamfara
In the first attack, armed men ambushed a convoy travelling from Gwashi to Gurusu in Bukkuyum district of Zamfara State on Sunday.
The convoy was heading to a weekly market when the attackers opened fire, killing 13 people, according to three residents who spoke to AFP.
Local chief Lawal Muhammad said the victims included eight soldiers, one police officer and four traders, among them a woman.
Eleven other people, including three soldiers, were wounded and taken to hospital, he added.
The attackers reportedly ransacked vehicles carrying the traders, stole merchandise and set three vehicles ablaze before fleeing the scene.
The incident underscores the risks faced by civilians travelling along routes connecting rural communities and markets, where traders depend on regular transport to sell goods and obtain essential supplies.
Bukkuyum and other parts of Zamfara have experienced repeated attacks by armed criminal gangs commonly known in Nigeria as bandits. Such groups have been linked to kidnappings for ransom, livestock theft and raids on villages and transport routes.
One resident, Jamilu Umar, said the road between Gwashi and Gurusu had become extremely dangerous for travellers.
The latest attack is likely to deepen concerns among residents who depend on the route for trade, farming and access to services.
Suspected jihadists kill 11 in Niger State
In a separate attack, suspected jihadist militants killed 11 people during an overnight raid in Borgu district of Niger State, near Nigeria’s border with Benin.
Two humanitarian workers told AFP that the attack occurred between Saturday night and Sunday morning.
One of the aid workers said four of those killed were local vigilantes who had been providing security for the community.
The attack triggered fresh displacement, with some residents reportedly fleeing across the border into Benin amid fears of further violence.
Niger State, which has extensive agricultural land and mineral resources, has faced increasing insecurity as armed groups expand their activities into rural communities.
Repeated raids have forced residents to abandon their homes, disrupting farming, local trade and other economic activities.
Although the two attacks occurred in different states and were attributed to different armed groups, both illustrate the growing vulnerability of communities in parts of northern and central Nigeria.
Nigeria faces multiple security threats
Nigeria has struggled for years with overlapping security crises, including jihadist insurgencies in the northeast and armed criminal gangs operating across the northwest and other regions.
In the northeast, Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have waged an insurgency that has killed thousands of people and displaced millions over more than a decade.
In the northwest, armed gangs commonly called bandits have carried out village raids, mass kidnappings, livestock theft and attacks on highways. Some communities have attempted to negotiate local peace agreements with these groups, but violence has persisted in several areas.
Meanwhile, suspected jihadist groups have increasingly threatened communities in parts of the northwest and central regions, complicating security operations and efforts to protect civilians.
The groups do not all share the same objectives or organisational structures, making the crisis difficult to address through a single security strategy.
Civilians bear the brunt of insecurity
The latest attacks have renewed concerns about the safety of civilians, particularly traders, farmers and residents of isolated communities who often have limited access to security services.
In Zamfara, the killing of traders travelling to a weekly market threatens livelihoods and can disrupt the movement of food and other goods between rural settlements.
In Niger State, the reported flight of residents into Benin highlights the cross-border consequences of insecurity, placing additional pressure on communities and humanitarian services in neighbouring areas.
Displacement can also interrupt children’s education, limit access to healthcare and leave families without reliable sources of income.
Humanitarian organisations have repeatedly warned that continued violence and displacement can worsen existing vulnerabilities in affected communities.
Security concerns persist
The Nigerian government has deployed military and police personnel in affected regions and conducted operations against armed groups. However, the continued attacks demonstrate the difficulty of restoring lasting security across remote and poorly protected communities.
Effective responses require not only security operations but also stronger intelligence gathering, protection of vulnerable transport routes, functioning local justice systems and measures to address the conditions that allow armed groups to operate.
Authorities also face the challenge of ensuring that displaced residents can return home safely and that traders and farmers can resume their activities without fear of further attacks.
As of Monday, the latest reports did not provide details of arrests or identify specific suspects in custody over the two weekend incidents.
The full circumstances of the attacks, including the identities of all victims and any subsequent security operations, remained subject to further official confirmation.
For communities in Zamfara and Niger states, the immediate concerns remain the recovery of victims, treatment of the wounded and protection against further raids.
