The death toll from the clash between bandits and illegal miners in Kaduna State over gold deposits has risen to 17, according to an updated report by AFP citing security sources.
The violent confrontation occurred on Thursday in the Birnin Gwari district of Kaduna State, an area long troubled by armed gangs engaged in cattle rustling and kidnapping across northwestern and central Nigeria. These groups operate from camps hidden in a vast forest spanning Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Niger states.
According to the report, violence broke out at an illegal mining site when a bandit leader allegedly demanded gold from miners at gunpoint. The miners retaliated, killing the gang leader, which prompted a reprisal attack by his associates. The bandits later stormed the mining site, killing seven miners.
Later that day, the attackers raided the nearby Layin Danauta village, killing nine people, injuring 13 others, kidnapping several residents, and destroying properties.
Birnin Gwari, known for its mineral wealth and agricultural activities, had experienced relative peace since the Kaduna State Government brokered a truce between bandits and residents in November last year.
However, since 2021, the district has witnessed an influx of both bandits and Ansaru jihadists—an Al-Qaeda-linked group—who formed an alliance and imposed a strict version of Islamic Sharia law across much of the area.
Local resident Muhammad Kabir told AFP that the latest clashes had triggered fear among residents who worry that the fragile peace may collapse. “We have been enjoying relative peace since the peace deal was signed, but this latest violence risks destroying it,” he said.
Security officials noted that while the bandits are primarily motivated by financial gain rather than ideology, their alliance with jihadists has heightened concerns. Following the peace agreement, their revenue from kidnappings and levies on farmers dropped sharply, prompting them to exploit illegal mining sites for income.
The report warned that the renewed violence could destabilise the fragile peace and lead to further clashes in the coming weeks.