Death toll rises to 26 in Nigerian mining site attack

The death toll from a gunmen raid on an artisanal gold mining site in northwestern Nigeria has risen to 26, according to Amnesty International. The victims included villagers who attempted to flee during the attack, said Amnesty's Nigeria Country Director, Isa Sanusi.

Yahaya Adamu Gobirawa, a mining union official, told AFP that armed assailants using "heavy guns" attacked the site in Gobirawar Chali village, located in the Maru local government area of Zamfara State, on Thursday.

Police have not yet confirmed the attack but are reportedly investigating the incident.

Zamfara State is one of several regions in northwestern and central Nigeria plagued by criminal gangs, known locally as "bandits." These groups frequently raid villages, killing and abducting residents in rural areas with little government presence or security.

Gobirawa described the assault as "unprovoked." He explained that the assailants had initially raided the site on Tuesday but were repelled. On Thursday, however, they returned in much larger numbers, overwhelming the miners and local vigilantes.

"The bandits were better armed and used heavy weaponry," Gobirawa said.

In response to rising insecurity, the Zamfara state government launched the 5,200-strong Zamfara Community Guards last year to improve safety in affected communities.