KABUL (Pajhwok): At least 20 people were killed after armed gang members attacked several villages in Nigeria’s northwestern Zamfara State, AFP reported on Wednesday, citing a local official.
Nasiru Lauwali, the representative of the Sauna district in the Talata Mafara local government area, told AFP that a large number of armed men raided the communities between 3:00pm and 4:00pm local time, targeting residents, according to Al Jazeera.
The latest attack comes amid rising violence in northwestern and central Nigeria, where armed gangs, locally known as bandits, have carried out repeated raids on villages, stealing livestock and kidnapping people for ransom.
Separately, at least three suspected bandits were killed by security forces in Kwara State late on Tuesday, according to Nigeria’s The Punch newspaper. The report said security personnel also rescued a businessman, identified as Tuhkur Sanni.
Kidnappings for ransom have become increasingly common in Nigeria as armed groups seek payments from the government and private citizens.
The security situation has been compounded by the long-running Boko Haram insurgency in the country’s northeast. According to SBM Intelligence, attackers received more than $1.6 million in ransom payments during 2024.
Earlier this month, dozens of students and teachers were rescued 56 days after being abducted from three schools in Oyo State. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said eight suspected kidnappers had been arrested and an unspecified number killed during the operation.
Defence Minister Christopher Musa said investigators believed the kidnappers intended to use the hostages to pressure the government into releasing some of their imprisoned commanders.
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