Up to 35 killed in raid on Nigerian mining community

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria

At least 35 people have been killed in a raid on a mine in northern Nigeria, a local official said Tuesday.

The attack late Monday happened in Bindim, Zamfara state, when gunmen attacked the mining community.

“The gunmen actually killed 30 people at the site but we later got to know that five other persons died of gunshot injuries from the incident,” Saadu Ubale, a local government official, told Anadolu Agency.

“Their attackers also took away their finds.”

Zamfara is an area notorious for bandits and cattle rustlers. It has huge mineral deposits, such as gold, and illegal mining is common among locals.

The News Agency of Nigeria quoted witnesses as saying that as many as 40 people had been killed.

Zamfara police spokesman Shehu Muhammad said: “We have not ascertained the exact number of persons killed but several corpses were recovered from the mining site, which is located in Bindim district of Maru local government area.”