Armed gunmen kidnapped more than 50 women and children during a raid on Kakin Dawa village in northwest Nigeria’s Zamfara state, residents and police confirmed on Tuesday. The attack is the latest in a series of abductions by armed groups, locally known as bandits, who have terrorized the region for years.
The incident occurred on Sunday, according to a statement by the Zamfara police. Authorities said additional security forces were being deployed to the area to address the worsening insecurity.
Armed Raid on Village
Witnesses said the attackers, riding motorcycles and armed with assault rifles, descended on the village around 12:30 GMT, going house-to-house and forcibly taking residents.
“Later we found out that they kidnapped more than 50 women, including married women and girls,” said Hassan Ya’u, a resident who managed to escape. His younger sister was among those taken.
Residents have called on the federal and Zamfara state governments to increase security in the region.
“We are appealing to the authorities to send more soldiers and security personnel to fight those bandits,” Ya’u added.
Growing Insecurity in Nigeria
Northwest Nigeria has seen a surge in kidnappings for ransom due to poverty, unemployment, and the proliferation of illegal firearms. Insecurity plagues much of the country, including a 15-year Islamist insurgency in the northeast and separatist violence in the southeast.
The community is now anxiously awaiting contact from the kidnappers.
“We are currently waiting to hear the kidnappers’ demands for the release of the abducted individuals,” said Abdulkadir Sadia, another resident of Kakin Dawa. “The entire community is in distress.”
Zamfara state has been one of the worst-hit areas in Nigeria, with frequent attacks leaving residents vulnerable and security forces struggling to contain the violence.
