In a chilling repeat of escalating violence in Nigeria’s northwest, at least 45 women and children were abducted by gunmen during coordinated overnight raids on five villages in Zamfara State, according to eyewitness accounts.
The armed assailants struck late Monday, storming the community of Sabongarin Damri and expanding their assault to nearby villages including Sade, Tungar Tsalle, Tungar Sodangi, and Tungar Musa Dogo. The siege lasted until dawn, leaving residents in fear and mourning.
Shehu Musa, the traditional leader of Damri, confirmed the attack in a phone interview with Reuters. “The attackers invaded the communities and kidnapped no fewer than 45 people from the five neighbouring villages, which are less than half a kilometre apart,” Musa said.
This attack comes just days after another mass abduction in the same Sabongarin Damri area on Saturday, during which about 70 individuals were taken. The back-to-back kidnappings highlight a troubling surge in insecurity across the region.
Northwest Nigeria has been plagued by heavily armed criminal gangs, commonly referred to as “bandits,” who have terrorized rural communities with killings, extortion, and kidnappings. Victims are often held for extended periods while large ransoms are demanded, sometimes with devastating consequences for families unable to pay.
Local and national authorities have been under pressure to bring an end to the unrelenting wave of violence, but with limited success. As the cycle of abductions continues, residents remain vulnerable and communities shattered by fear.
