The conflict erupted on Thursday when a bandit leader attempted to extort gold from miners at gunpoint, escalating tensions in a region long plagued by criminal gangs.

The miners retaliated, killing the bandit kingpin, which triggered a brutal reprisal from his gang. 

The bandits raided the mining site, shooting and killing seven miners, the report stated. Later that day, they attacked nearby Layin Danauta village, killing nine more people, injuring 13, kidnapping several residents, and destroying property.

Birnin Gwari, a mineral-rich agricultural hub, had experienced relative calm since a November 2024 peace deal brokered by the Kaduna State government between bandits and locals. 

However, the district has faced an influx of bandits and Al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru jihadists since 2021, with the latter enforcing strict Sharia law. 

The peace agreement curtailed bandit revenue from kidnappings and farming levies, pushing them to target illegal mining sites, which have proliferated since the deal, according to a UN security report.

Local resident Muhammad Kabir expressed alarm, telling AFP, “We’ve enjoyed relative peace since the deal, but this violence threatens to unravel it.” 

He confirmed the bandit leader’s killing and the subsequent raid on Layin Danauta. The UN report warned that the clashes could destabilize the fragile peace, with further violence likely.

Bandits, driven by financial motives, have formed alliances with jihadists, raising concerns among officials. 

The northwestern and central regions, including Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Niger, remain hotspots for banditry, with gangs operating from vast forest camps.