Bloody weekend in Nigerian north as villagers mobilise against bandits

FIGHTING between armed bandits and militiamen left 45 dead in northern Nigeria at the weekend amid escalating rural violence often involving cattle rustling, robbery and kidnappings.

“The 45 bodies were found scattered in the bush. Bandits pursued residents who mobilised to defend their village of Gwaska, in Kaduna state after overpowering them,” said a vigilante who asked not to be named. “The attackers were armed bandits from neighbouring Zamfara state who have been terrorising Birnin Gwari area,” he said.

Kaduna police chief Austin Iwar confirmed the attack, saying: “There was violence between militias, who are very powerful, and bandits. For now, we know 12 people were buried yesterday and 33 today.”

The vigilante said the bandits struck at about 2.30pm on Saturday and stayed for three hours before retreating to their base in the forest in Zamfara. “They burnt down many homes,” he said.

This follows the death of 13 people in clashes between cattle thieves and local civilian militia in Zamfara last week.

The attacks underlined the diversity of Nigeria’s security threats amid overstretched security forces.

Rural communities in Zamfara have been under siege for years from cattle rustlers and gangs who raid herding communities, killing, looting and burning homes.

To defend themselves, villagers and herdsmen form vigilante groups, but they are often accused of extra-judicial killings, provoking a bloody cycle of reprise. Added to this, nomadic herders and sedentary farmers are in an increasingly bloody battle over land and resources. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has been criticised for failing to curb the violence, which is becoming a key election issue ahead of presidential polls next year.

The military and police are fighting Boko Haram in the north, militants and pirates in the oil-rich south, a simmering separatist movement in the east, and the conflict between herdsmen and farmers in the vast central region.