Gunmen Kill 4 Family Members In Birnin Gwari, Kaduna

Suspected bandits have attacked the Kakangi community in the western part of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing five farmers. It was gathered that out the five, four are from the same family.

Three other villagers sustained injuries during the attack, which occurred on Tuesday evening as they were returning from their farms. This is coming despite the peace deal in the area.

According to sources in the area, the assailants were on a retaliatory mission after local vigilantes from neighbouring Niger State communities reportedly killed a suspected bandit on Monday.

It was gathered from local sources that Niger vigilantes always blamed attacks in the communities on bandits from the Birnin Gwari forest who usually cross over to attack villagers in border communities.

Daily Trust gathered that after the Monday incident, the suspected bandits, whose member was killed, decided to retaliate against villagers from Kakangi who were returning from their farms on Tuesday.

Convener of the Birnin Gwari–Niger Inter-Border Communities for Peace and Development (BG-NI CUPD), Ishaq Usman Kasai, confirmed the incident.

Kasai, who is also a former Chairman of the Birnin Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU), added that the three injured farmers are currently receiving treatment at Jibril Mai Gwari General Hospital.

“We condemn in the strongest terms these unjustified killings of innocent farmers in Kakangi and express our heartfelt condolences to the Kakangi Chiefdom’s Council and the entire people of the community.

“We, therefore, issue this urgent call to the local government authorities, the Kaduna State Government, the Federal Government of Nigeria, and all other actors of the peace deal and reconciliation to take immediate and decisive measures to prevent a total breakdown of the fragile peace that the people of Birnin Gwari have long worked hard to restore,” he said.

A villager, who pleaded anonymity, explained: “Local vigilantes from Niger State usually trail bandits disturbing their communities into Kaduna territory. That was what happened on Monday when they attacked and killed one of them.

“So, the bandits retaliated by attacking our people who were innocent while returning from their farms on Tuesday evening, killing five people while three others sustained gunshot injuries,” he said.

Daily Trust gathered that four of those killed were from the same family, while the injured victims were taken to Jibril Mai Gwari General Hospital, Birnin Gwari, for treatment.

Since 2015, Birnin Gwari residents have faced relentless attacks and abductions, with travellers forced to rely on military escorts, often with limited success along the Kaduna–Birnin Gwari highway.

After a peace deal signed in October 2024 between Kaduna State and the so-called repentant bandits, residents witnessed relative peace for months apart from minor incidents of phone and motorcycle snatching.