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>Zamfara state police command on Tuesday confirmed that unknown gunmen

 killed many people believed to be miners at Bindim in Maru Local

 government area of the state.

Spokesman of the police in the state, Deputy Superintendent of Police

 (DSP ) Shehu Muhammad, told reporters in Gusau that the record

 available to the command indicated that many people lost their lives

 during the attack.

It was learnt that many people were also injured during an attack by

 the group of armed bandits suspected to be cattle rustlers on an

 illegal mining site at Gidan Ardo Village under Bindin District in

 Dansadau emirate of Maru Local government area of Zamfara state. The

 incident occurred on Monday.

An eyewitness, Isa Muhammad, said: “The bandits numbering over 50

 invaded the site at around 3:00pm on Monday and seized all their

 belongings”.

He further narrated that the bandits opened fire on miners and killed

 more than 30 people who were underground while digging out some gold

 while many people were injured seriously. More than 20 people were

 missing during the attack.

“As I am talking to you now, our lives are in danger as no security

 agents were deployed to this area and we don’t even have food and

 water to eat and drink”.

Suspected armed bandits had ambushed some traders last Sunday on their

 way from Kanoma in Maru local government area to Jangebe market in

 Talata-Mafara local government area of Zamfara State and killed more

 than 10 traders and made away with their property worth millions of

 Naira.

However, police spokesman in the state said the bandits did not take

 any property from the victims during the incident.

DSP Muhammad stated that already a special anti-terrorism squad in a

 joint operation with soldiers has been deployed to the area to restore

 normalcy.</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>Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto

 Unidentified gunmen believed to be cattle rustlers yesterday invaded Bindin village in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, killing over 50 informal miners.

One of the survivors who pleaded anonymity, told THISDAY that the gunmen attacked the miners while they were working at the mining site

According to him, the gunmen numbering over hundred surrounded the mining site around 6p.m. on Monday in Bindin village while hundreds of miners were busy at the mining site.

“I cannot tell you precisely why the gunmen launched the attack on our mining site but I think the gunmen were on their way to attack Bindin community, but could not achieve the plan without clearing people like us nearby,” he said.

He disclosed that at least 42 corpses were conveyed to a hospital in Dangulbi town, while more corpses were believed to be lying in the mining pits.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Shehu Muhammad, said the command had already deployed men to the affected village to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators and the restoration of law and order.

He said the command recorded the death of 37 people so far, following compilation by officers of the command.

Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Maru Local Government Area, Alhaji Salisu Isa Dangulbi, told journalists that the attack on the miners was sequel to the inability of the gunmen to reach the community due to the presence of security personnel there.

Dangulbi however, was unable to ascertain the number of people that were killed by the gunmen and those that sustained injuries in the area.

Meanwhile, Governor Abdulaziz Yari has condemned the attack.

 In a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication, Alhaji Ibrahim Dosara, described the killing as barbaric and inhuman.

The statement expressed the governor’s heartfelt sympathy to the families of the victims and pledged to continue to collaborate with security agencies to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators.

“The state government is determined to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice and would not fold its arms to watch the perpetrators of criminal activities go scot free in the state.

“In fact, the governor has declared his official trip to the United States of America earlier scheduled today morning to monitor the US presidential election cancelled and will rather meet with President Muhammadu Buhari on security challenges bedeviling Zamfara State.

“A team of experts have already been constituted by the Governor to thoroughly investigate the heinous attack and killing of innocent citizens,” the statement concluded.</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>Gunmen believed to be cattle rustlers have killed 36 miners in northern Nigeria, the government and residents said, the latest in a long-running series of such raids. By Pius Utomi Ekpei (AFP/File)

Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - Gunmen believed to be cattle rustlers have killed 36 miners in northern Nigeria, the government and residents said Tuesday, the latest in a long-running series of such raids.

Motorcycle-riding gunmen suspected to be cattle thieves invaded a goldmine late Monday outside Bindin village in northern Zamfara state, shooting dead miners and gold merchants. Many local herders turn to mining to boost their income.
Gunmen kill at least 30 people in an attack on a gold mine in a remote area of Zamfara State, northwestern Nigeria.