A community in Zamfara State has been thrown into mourning after armed bandits carried out a nighttime abduction of 25 females, including married women and young girls.
The attack occurred on Saturday in Kwanar Na Uwa, a settlement in Tofa District of Bungudu Local Government Area, where gunmen stormed homes under the cover of darkness in what security analysts describe as a severe case of gender-based violence with high potential for sexual exploitation.
According to security expert Bakatsine, who reported the incident on the social media platform X, the assailants specifically targeted women during their raid, leaving families devastated and raising alarms about the safety of vulnerable populations in Nigeria’s conflict-ridden northwest region.
The selective nature of the kidnappings – focusing exclusively on females – has drawn condemnation from human rights advocates who warn of possible sexual violence against the victims.
This latest incident adds to the growing insecurity in Zamfara State, where bandit groups have terrorised rural communities through mass abductions, killings, and extortion.
Residents report living in constant fear as criminal elements continue to operate with impunity, often moving freely across vast forest areas that serve as their hideouts.
The abduction comes amid heightened security operations in Nigeria’s northwest, where authorities have struggled to contain violent attacks by armed bandits. Community leaders in Zamfara are now calling for urgent government intervention to secure the victims’ safe release and implement more robust protection measures for vulnerable populations.
Human rights organisations have demanded immediate action from both state and federal authorities, emphasising that the targeted kidnapping of women represents an escalation in the region’s security crisis. As families anxiously await news of their loved ones, this incident has reignited debates about Nigeria’s worsening security situation and the need for more effective strategies to protect civilians, particularly women and children in high-risk areas.
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cc: Daily Post Ng
