By Hadiza Mohammed, Northern Operation
At least 30 people were killed on Sunday evening after bandits ambushed travelers along the Magami–Dansadau highway in Zamfara State, in what has become one of the deadliest attacks recorded on the route in 2026.
The attack occurred between Magami and Gusau when armed bandits reportedly opened fire on vehicles carrying motorists and commuters in a coordinated assault.
Confirming the incident to journalists, the Public Relations Officer of the Zamfara Community Protection Guard, Abubakar Gummi, said the victims included 21 civilians, eight local hunters, and one member of the community protection guard.
According to Gummi, security personnel and community guards responded swiftly and engaged the attackers in a gun battle shortly after the ambush.
“During the gun duel, scores of bandits have been neutralised,” he said, although he did not provide the exact number of casualties suffered by the attackers.
The Magami–Dansadau highway has remained notorious for repeated bandit attacks targeting travelers, traders, and farmers despite ongoing military offensives and community-led security operations in Zamfara South.
The road serves as a major link between several rural communities and Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, making it an important but increasingly dangerous route for transportation and commercial activities.
Sources disclosed that the bodies of the victims had been recovered and taken to nearby hospitals and health facilities, while injured survivors are currently receiving medical treatment.
As of the time of filing this report, the Zamfara State Government had not issued an official statement on the incident.
