Suspected bandits ambushed and killed three farmers from the Koro ethnic group on Monday morning in Nasarawa State, heightening fears over escalating insecurity in rural areas.
The attack occurred around 8 a.m. along a route to Atukpo community in Doma Local Government Area, as the victims traveled to deliver a message on behalf of their father. Eyewitnesses and relatives identified the deceased as Tailor Gayu—widely known as “Reverend Father”—Zacharia Wudu, and James Delle Iwala, all married men with families.
One relative, speaking on condition of anonymity during a telephone interview, recounted how the group was set upon by the gunmen shortly after leaving home. “They set out early, full of life, only to be cut down in such a senseless way,” the relative said, urging authorities to bolster security patrols along vulnerable rural paths.
Mr. Nathaniel Ajeh, another family member, decried the incident as “unfortunate, sad, and barbaric,” emphasizing the toll on farming communities reliant on safe access to fields and settlements. “The government must act decisively to curb this rising tide of violence before it spirals out of control,” Ajeh told Daily Independent. “Our people deserve to go about their daily lives without fear.”
Efforts to obtain an official response from the Nasarawa State Police Command proved unsuccessful, with repeated calls to the Public Relations Officer going unanswered at the time of reporting. Local leaders have called for immediate investigations and enhanced community policing to prevent further tragedies amid a surge in banditry across the North-Central region.
