…As Amnesty Int’l slams FG over insecurity
No fewer than 17 farmers have been reportedly killed by suspected bandits following an attack on farmlands in Goron-Namaye community of Maradun local government area of Zamfara State, according to Amnesty International Nigeria.
The human rights organisation, which disclosed the incident in a statement posted on its verified 𝕏 handle, said the attack occurred on Friday, June 12, 2026, when armed bandits stormed farmlands in the area, killing farmers and leaving several others injured. “On Friday 12 June 2026, bandits invaded farmlands at Goron Namaye in Maradun local government area killing 17 farmers by slaughtering them one by one, while injuring at least 13 others”, the organisation stated.
Amnesty Int’l accused the Federal Government of failing to adequately protect citizens from recurring attacks by armed groups. The group lamented the worsening security situation in Zamfara State, particularly as residents begin farming activities with the onset of the rainy season. “As the rainy season sets in, farming in Zamfara state is now a matter of life and death. The Nigerian authorities must do more to end the incessant atrocities committed by bandits and other armed groups — almost daily”, Amnesty International said.
The organisation further criticised what it described as the government’s slow response to persistent attacks, warning that the situation has emboldened criminal elements across affected communities. “The authorities’ lethargy has allowed impunity to flourish and the killings to spread to many parts of the country, inflicting greater suffering on communities who already live in constant fear of the next attack”, it added.
Amnesty International also accused the government of failing in its constitutional responsibility to safeguard lives and property. “The Nigerian government has also displayed what can only be described as gross incompetence and has failed in its duty to protect the lives of its population and end the intensifying attacks and abductions”, the statement noted.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Zamfara State Government nor security agencies had issued an official statement on the incident.
Zamfara remains one of the states most affected by banditry in Nigeria, with communities frequently targeted by armed groups involved in killings, kidnappings and attacks on rural settlements.
