ABUJA — Armed attackers raided a village and a military base in Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria, during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, abducting at least 52 people, including children. Motorcycle-riding militants first targeted the military base on the outskirts of the village, seizing rifles and setting a patrol vehicle on fire before entering Kasuwar Daji village to go door-to-door taking hostages. According to local residents, the attackers initially rounded up over 100 individuals, later releasing some while retaining 52.
Army spokesperson Olaniyi Osoba stated that troops successfully repelled the assault, though the clash left one soldier and one policeman dead alongside the unspecified number of abducted residents. Meanwhile, in neighboring Sokoto State, another violent attack in the Sabon Birni area resulted in at least 11 reported deaths. Armed gangs remain active across rural northwest and central Nigeria, frequently carrying out village raids and lucrative kidnapping-for-ransom operations.
