Armed gang attacks mining site and nearby village in northwestern Nigeria, killing 17
On Monday, a group of armed motorcyclists killed five miners at an illegal gold mine and then shot twelve soldiers in a neighboring village in northwestern Nigeria.
The attackers rode motorcycles to an illegal mining operation, where they opened fire and killed five workers. Afterward they entered an adjacent village and killed twelve soldiers. A local leader said the assaults were revenge for the death of a gang member allegedly threatened by the miners. The region has long been plagued by heavily armed gangs targeting mines and demanding a share of the gold.
Why it matters
The attack highlights the persistent insecurity and gang violence threatening mining communities and civilians in northwestern Nigeria.
In this story
armed gangillegal gold minesoldiers killedrevenge attacknorthwestern Nigeriagang violencemining community
