At least 24 killed in bandit attack in northwest Nigeria, residents say

By Ahmed Kingimi

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, July 23 (Reuters) - Armed bandits riding motorcycles killed at least 24 farmers and wounded several others in an attack on remote farming villages in northwest Nigeria's Zamfara state, residents told Reuters on Thursday.

The attackers stormed communities in the Sauna district of the Talata Mafara local government area at about 1300 GMT on Tuesday and opened fire on people working on their farms, residents told Reuters.

"They killed at least 24 innocent farmers. We are still counting the losses," resident Auwal Sani said by phone. 

Zamfara is at the centre of a security crisis in Nigeria's northwest, where armed gangs locally known as bandits frequently raid villages, kidnap residents for ransom and steal livestock.

Residents said the gunmen travelled nearly 50 km (31 miles) along the Mayanchi-Anka highway, a key trade route, before reaching Sauna without encountering security forces.

Police and military authorities were not immediately available for comment.

Another resident, Bello Aliyu, said Tuesday's attack lasted for about three hours.

"They rustled an unspecified number of livestock, leaving several people wounded who are currently receiving treatment," he said.

(Reporting by Ahmed Kingimi in Maiduguri; Writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo)