Gunmen Kill at Least 20 in Mining Village Attack in Northwestern Nigeria

|Published 5:30 PM ET, Friday April 25, 2025|

Gobirawa Chali, Zamfara State, Nigeria — April 25, 2025 —
At least 20 people were killed and dozens injured when armed assailants attacked a gold-mining village in northwestern Nigeria, according to Amnesty International Nigeria.

The violence erupted late Wednesday in Gobirawa Chali, a mining hub in Zamfara State. Witnesses reported that the gunmen, arriving on motorcycles, first opened fire on miners at a local site, killing 14 people. They then moved into the village itself, targeting homes and a mosque where additional victims were found.

The motive behind the attack remains unclear, but security experts suggest it may be linked to reprisal violence. A local resident, Rabi’u Bawa, indicated the assault could have been retaliation after the attackers reportedly lost seven of their members in a failed raid the previous day.

The perpetrators are believed to be loyalists of Dogo Gide, a notorious bandit leader whose network has orchestrated repeated attacks across Zamfara in recent months.

Banditry and organized crime continue to plague Nigeria’s northwestern region, fueled by a combination of weakened state security, resource competition, and longstanding herder-farmer conflicts. Mineral-rich areas like Zamfara have become particularly vulnerable, with armed groups exploiting mining activities to fund their operations.

This latest attack highlights the deepening security challenges facing Nigerian authorities, as rural communities remain exposed to escalating cycles of violence. Despite ongoing military operations, local residents say the response has been insufficient to curb the rising threat.

Amnesty International has called for urgent government action to protect civilians and restore stability in the region.