Over 100 People Kidnapped in Northwest Nigeria
More than 100 individuals were abducted in two separate attacks in northwest Nigeria, following the alarming kidnapping of over 250 students in the same state several weeks ago, residents and officials reported to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Monday.
Armed assailants captured 87 people at the Kajuru station on Sunday night, according to the local government head, Ibrahim Gajere. In tandem, a source from the United Nations and a former local official told AFP that 16 people were taken from a nearby village on Saturday.
"They extracted people from their homes at gunpoint," an AFP correspondent was told.
A local resident named Harisu Dare reported that groups of attackers stormed the village around 10:00 PM, moving from one house to another and abducting inhabitants. The narrative was confirmed by a UN source and a former local official, who both spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity.
On Saturday, 16 individuals were kidnapped in the community of Dogon Noma, situated approximately ten kilometers away, according to information from Harisu Dare, the UN source, and the former local official.
Repeated requests for confirmation went unanswered by the Kaduna police and the state's security commissioner.
Last week, in another village within the Kajuru area, dozens of people fell victim to kidnappings executed by armed men.
Criminal gangs often perpetrate mass abductions in northwest Nigeria, targeting schools, villages, and highways where they can swiftly kidnap a significant number of individuals for ransom.
In a particularly egregious case earlier in the month, more than 250 students were abducted from a school in the village of Korega, about 150 kilometers distant, marking one of the largest attacks of its kind in recent years.
These widespread abduction operations pose a significant challenge to the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who vowed to tackle the issue of insecurity.
The Nigerian risk management consultancy firm SBM Intelligence reported that it had documented the kidnapping of 4,777 individuals since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
"They extracted people from their homes at gunpoint," an AFP correspondent was told.
A local resident named Harisu Dare reported that groups of attackers stormed the village around 10:00 PM, moving from one house to another and abducting inhabitants. The narrative was confirmed by a UN source and a former local official, who both spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity.
On Saturday, 16 individuals were kidnapped in the community of Dogon Noma, situated approximately ten kilometers away, according to information from Harisu Dare, the UN source, and the former local official.
Repeated requests for confirmation went unanswered by the Kaduna police and the state's security commissioner.
Last week, in another village within the Kajuru area, dozens of people fell victim to kidnappings executed by armed men.
Criminal gangs often perpetrate mass abductions in northwest Nigeria, targeting schools, villages, and highways where they can swiftly kidnap a significant number of individuals for ransom.
In a particularly egregious case earlier in the month, more than 250 students were abducted from a school in the village of Korega, about 150 kilometers distant, marking one of the largest attacks of its kind in recent years.
These widespread abduction operations pose a significant challenge to the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who vowed to tackle the issue of insecurity.
The Nigerian risk management consultancy firm SBM Intelligence reported that it had documented the kidnapping of 4,777 individuals since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
Translation:
Translated by AI
