Story highlights Armed robbery has been a long-running problem in Zamfara's gold mining communities

Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) Twenty six people, including 16 illegal gold miners, were killed after gunmen attacked several villages in northwest Nigerian state of Zamfara, state police said Friday.

Armed bandits stormed a mining site in a remote village late Wednesday shooting at residents, Mohammed Shehu, a spokesman for the Kaduna State police told CNN.

"They ambushed 16 illegal gold miners and shot at them. Four people who heard the gunshots and ran to the site to assist were killed. They attacked another village and killed six people," Shehu said.

Dozens of armed men stormed Kuru Kuru village Wednesday evening, demanding gold from miners before opening fire, one resident said.

"They came when the miners were coming from the forest in the evening and started shooting asking for gold. They shot at everyone in sight as they escaped," Amisu Ahiru told CNN.

Read More </s> KANO, Nigeria — Nigerian officials say armed bandits have killed 36 gold miners in northwest Zamfara state.

Survivor Isa Muhammad said many people are wounded and about 20 are missing. He said more than 50 gunmen invaded the informal mining site at Gidan Ardo Monday afternoon and seized people's belongings.

He said no security forces had arrived by Tuesday morning and residents fear another attack.

Police deputy superintendent Shehu Muhammad said soldiers and an anti-terrorism squad are on their way.

Zamfara state Gov. Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar promised to hunt down the perpetrators of the "act of terrorism."

Nigeria is suffering an Islamic uprising in the northeast, militants attacking oil installations in the south, deadly conflict between nomadic herders and farmers in the , cattle rustling, kidnappings and banditry. </s> Armed bandits stormed a mining site in a remote village late Wednesday shooting at residents, Mohammed Shehu, a spokesman for the Kaduna State police told CNN.

"They ambushed 16 illegal gold miners and shot at them. Four people who heard the gunshots and ran to the site to assist were killed. They attacked another village and killed six people," Shehu said.

Dozens of armed men stormed Kuru Kuru village Wednesday evening, demanding gold from miners before opening fire, one resident said.

"They came when the miners were coming from the forest in the evening and started shooting asking for gold. They shot at everyone in sight as they escaped," Amisu Ahiru told CNN.

Zamfara State Commissioner for Information, Muhammed Danjari, told CNN a mass burial was held for those killed Thursday. "These attacks are very frequent and we need help," Danjari told CNN, saying 32 people were killed in a similar attack last month. Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari visited Zamfara last month to console families and communities that suffered from violent clashes in the state. Two Americans and two Canadians kidnapped at gunpoint in Nigeria Armed robbery has been a long-running problem in Zamfara's gold mining communities where artisanal mining poses environmental and health hazards to residents. A Médecins Sans Frontières report estimates 400 children died of exposure to lead and 30,000 others were poisoned in the northwestern state in the world's worst recorded outbreak of lead poisoning in 2012. </s> BAUCHI, Nigeria (Reuters) - Gunmen have killed more than 30 gold miners in a remote area of northern Nigeria, police said on Tuesday.

The attackers raided a camp of artisan miners late on Monday in the Maru area in the northwestern state of Zamfara, police spokesman Muhammed Shehu said.

The gunmen stole nothing, he said, adding that the motive for the attack was unclear.

In March gunmen attacked a camp in the same state, killing one miner in what a police official described as possible conflict between miners.

Nigeria has been trying to attract investment in its nascent mining sector but insecurity and a lack of data has dampened appetite of foreign firms. </s> The attackers raided a camp of artisan miners late on Monday in the Maru area in the northwestern state of Zamfara, police spokesman Muhammed Shehu said.

The gunmen stole nothing, he said, adding that the motive for the attack was unclear.

In March gunmen attacked a camp in the same state, killing one miner in what a police official described as possible conflict between miners.

Nigeria has been trying to attract investment in its nascent mining sector but insecurity and a lack of data has dampened appetite of foreign firms. </s> LAGOS: Nigerian police claimed on Friday that over 100 “bandits” had been killed in a crackdown targeting crime in the northwest state of Zamfara, following a surge in kidnappings for ransom and cattle rustling. Zamfara has been plagued by violent crime over the past year, with Amnesty International warning in July that people living in the impoverished state were “at the mercy” of armed bandits who take hostages and raid villages. A joint operation team on Thursday “repelled ambush attacks from armed bandits” at Mahanga Forest in Zamfara State and “in the process killed one hundred and four bandits,” national police spokesman Jimoh Moshood said in a statement. </s> Bandits have on Wednesday attacked two villages in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara, killing some people.

The bandits attacked a mining site at Kuru-kuru village and also ambushed some people from the neighbouring Jarkuka village as they mobilised to bring help to Kuru-kuru.

A witness, Sadi Musa, said scores of people were killed at the mining site on Wednesday evening which forced the miners to flee for safety.

Musa said when residents from the nearby Jarkuka came later to join the Kuru-kuru survivors in burying the dead, the gunmen attacked again, and killed more people.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Mohammed Shehu said, “we are aware of the attack but I cannot give you details now until my commissioner is fully briefed’’.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the bandits had attacked Bawan Daji village in the same Anka Local Government Area two weeks ago and killed over 30 people.

They returned the following day and killed mourners at a graveyard.

This led to the deployment of Air Force and Army personnel to the area to contain the situation.

The soldiers had since swung into action and killed several bandits.

(NAN)

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Armed bandits storm a mining site in the northwestern Nigerian state of Zamfara, killing 26 people, including 16 illegal gold miners.