Senate orders crackdown on bandits flaunting crime cash on TikTok

Gusau, Zamfara State | By Prime Brief Media

At least 17 farmers have been killed and 13 others injured following a deadly attack by suspected bandits on farmlands in Goron Namaye district of Maradun Local Government Area, Zamfara State.

The attack, which occurred on Friday, June 12, was carried out by armed men believed to be loyal to a notorious bandit leader known as Jammo. A resident told Prime Brief Media that he counted at least 17 corpses lying in farms a few kilometres from town. "The bandits came in large numbers on motorcycles. They shot at anyone they saw on the farms," the resident said.

Thirteen others sustained gunshot injuries and have been taken to hospital. Some of the injured are in critical condition.

The bandit leader, Jammo, had reportedly sent a warning message that people in Goron Namaye should forget about working on their farms for the 2026 raining season. He had earlier imposed a levy of N100 million on farmers of Maradun LGA this season while holding on to 37 village elders abducted during a botched peace meeting.

The attack is part of a calculated strategy to weaponize food production and force rural communities into submission. Farmers are now afraid to return to their fields, raising concerns about food security in the region.

The Zamfara State Police Command has not yet issued an official statement. However, security sources indicate that troops have been deployed to the area to pursue the attackers.

Prime Brief Media will continue to monitor the situation.