In Nigeria’s northwest, over 100 individuals have reportedly been kidnapped by armed motorcycle assailants, according to residents.
The attackers targeted villages in Zamfara state, abducting residents who had allegedly failed to pay a demanded “tax.”
Kidnapping for ransom has become increasingly prevalent in the region, with armed groups, locally referred to as bandits, targeting villages, schools, and travelers.
These criminals demand substantial ransoms, often in the millions of naira, and are known for their violent tactics.
In the most recent incident, witnesses reported that one person lost their life during the attack.
A resident from the village of Mutunji, who managed to escape abduction, shared their experience, stating, “We are trying to collect the money… but suddenly the bandits came in and robbed people.
They took more than 100 people – most of them were women and young people.”
The gunmen, led by an individual known as “Damana,” reportedly exert significant control over the region, especially in the absence of state security forces.
Villagers complained about the bandits’ dominance, mentioning forced labor in the forests and the bandits freely consuming goods in towns without payment.
Nigeria is grappling with a range of security challenges, including a jihadist insurgency in the north, clashes between herders and farmers, a separatist insurgency in the southeast, and militant groups in the Niger Delta seeking a greater share of oil profits.
Despite taking office in May, President Bola Tinubu has yet to outline his strategy for addressing these security concerns, with his experience as the former governor of north-eastern Borno state emphasized during his election campaign.
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