Armed bandits struck northeast Nigeria, killing dozens and rustling livestock

Armed bandits have struck again, this time in Bauchi State, northeast Nigeria. According to police and residents, a staggering 19 lives were lost and a large number of cattle and sheep were stolen.

The Bauchi police command said in a statement that the attack unfolded in the early hours of Sunday morning when a local security patrol in the Gwana district was ambushed. Civilians attempting to flee were also gunned down in the chaos.

Bauchi police commissioner Sani-Omolori Aliyu said in the statement, “A team of operational tactical teams was dispatched to the scene, where they recovered bodies of casualties.”

For years, heavily armed gangs, known locally as bandits, have terrorized communities across northwest and northeast Nigeria. Their modus operandi? Kidnappings, mass killings, and livestock theft. Entire villages have been emptied, farmers have abandoned their lands, and travel by road has become a gamble with death.

The attackers didn’t just kill; they overpowered local security forces and made off with livestock, further crippling the region’s economy. This isn’t just about violence—it’s about survival. When bandits control food sources, they control the people.