Bandit Raids Kill at Least 20 in Northwest Nigeria

At least 20 people died when armed gangs raided multiple villages in Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria, AFP reported on July 23, 2026. District representative Nasiru Lauwali said a large group of bandits overran communities in the Sauna district. The toll may rise; poor communications in the remote area slow reporting. Zamfara has long struggled with banditry — a term for organized armed robbery by criminal groups in the region.