In a recent event a gang of gunmen stormed into Kakin Dawa village in Nigeria’s northwest Zamfara state on Sunday, kidnapping more than 50 women and children. The attackers, identified as local “bandits,” arrived on motorcycles armed with assault rifles, raiding homes and abducting residents.
The assault took place around 1230 GMT, with the gunmen targeting both married women and young girls. Hassan Ya’u, a local resident who managed to escape, confirmed the number of kidnapped victims and revealed that his younger sister was among those taken.
“We are appealing to the federal and Zamfara state governments to send more soldiers and security personnel to fight those bandits,” Ya’u said, underscoring the growing concern over widespread insecurity in the region.
The Zamfara police have confirmed the kidnapping, noting that additional security forces are being dispatched to the area. Residents are anxiously awaiting demands from the kidnappers regarding the release of the abducted individuals, with some calling for immediate action to address the violence.
The rise in such incidents has been attributed to high levels of poverty, unemployment, and the proliferation of illegal firearms in northwest Nigeria. Kidnapping for ransom by armed groups has become increasingly common in the region, contributing to the deepening sense of insecurity.
Abdulkadir Sadia, another resident of Kakin Dawa, described the situation as one of severe distress. “The entire community is in distress,” he said.
While this incident adds to the alarming trend of violence in the northwest, Nigeria also faces challenges from a 15-year-long Islamist insurgency in the northeast and gang-related violence in the southeast, further straining the country’s security forces.
