Bandits abduct 20 women in fresh Zamfara attack

At least 20 women, mostly young girls, have been abducted by bandits in a fresh attack on Moriki town, Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

According to a local resident, Sufyanu Moriki, the victims were kidnapped on Saturday while gathering firewood on the outskirts of the community.

“They went out to fetch firewood when they were seized by the armed group,” he told Channels Television. “Since the incident, the kidnappers have not contacted anyone to demand ransom.”

The Zamfara State Police Command has yet to confirm the incident. Spokesperson Yazid Abubakar said he had not been briefed and promised to provide information once available.

Zamfara remains one of the states hardest hit by the banditry crisis that has ravaged Nigeria’s northwest. What began as localised clashes over land and water between herders and farmers has evolved into a full-blown security emergency, with organised armed gangs carrying out kidnappings, extortion, and killings across rural communities with little to no state presence.

The insecurity is contributing to worsening malnutrition in the region, as persistent attacks have driven thousands from their farms. Climate change and cuts in international aid have further compounded the crisis.

Just last month, 33 people kidnapped by bandits in Zamfara in February were reportedly killed by their captors despite a ransom payment of $33,700. Three infants were also said to have died in captivity.

The region has become a hotspot for arms trafficking since 2011, with gangs expanding their operations to include cattle rustling, kidnapping for ransom, and illegal taxation of farmers and artisanal miners. The violence has spread from the northwest into north-central states.

While security forces have made gains—killing at least 95 armed gang members in Niger State two weeks ago—Nigeria’s military remains overstretched. Though improved coordination between the army and air force has enhanced operations, airstrikes have also resulted in significant civilian casualties.

Worryingly, some of the bandit groups are forging links with jihadist insurgents waging a long-running conflict in the northeast. The emergence of Lakurawa, a jihadist faction now active in the northwest, has further intensified violence.

In response, state governments have resorted to recruiting anti-jihadist militias—originally mobilised in the northeast—to help contain the escalating crisis in rural northwestern Nigeria.