Gunmen ambushed a convoy of traders traveling to a market under military escort and killed at least 20 people in Nigeria's northwestern Zamfara state, according to a witness and military source on Monday.
The attack occurred around 2 p.m. on Saturday as the convoy traveled from Gwashi to Nasarawa market in Bukkuyum district. Local resident Musa Danladi, who assisted in retrieving bodies, told Reuters that four soldiers, three police officers and a Nigerian civil defence corps officer were among those killed, along with 12 civilians.
A military source confirmed the attack and reported that 19 people were also wounded in the incident.
Northwestern Nigeria has experienced a surge in attacks by heavily armed gangs known as bandits, who conduct raids on villages, abduct residents for ransom and steal livestock. The region has become increasingly volatile due to these criminal operations, which operate with significant firepower and organization.
The ambush represents another incident in the pattern of violence affecting the northwestern region, where security forces have struggled to contain the activities of armed groups operating across multiple districts.