Terror Reigns in Zamfara, Indigenes Question Government’s Silence

At least 9 killed, many abducted

A brutal attack in Nigeria’s Zamfara state has left at least nine people dead and many others abducted, highlighting the persistent insecurity plaguing the country’s northwest.

Local residents and officials say heavily armed bandits stormed villages in the Talata Mafara district on Friday, kidnapping dozens and terrorizing communities.

Zamfara, which has long been a hotspot for armed gang activity, continues to suffer repeated assaults from groups engaged in mass abductions, extortion, and deadly violence.

Friday’s attack is the latest in a series of incidents that have displaced thousands and made day-to-day life increasingly perilous, especially for rural farming communities.

Local legislator Hamisu Faru confirmed to Reuters that the attackers abducted at least 100 people, including women and children.

Speaking by phone during the ongoing assault, Faru said, “They are going house-to-house, dragging people out. It’s a terrifying situation.”

Providing additional details, Yahaya Yari Abubakar, a senior administrative official in the Talata Mafara district, told AFP that nine individuals were killed in the assault, while 15 villagers were taken away by the assailants.

Residents fear the actual number of abductees could be much higher as the situation remains fluid and chaotic.

Eyewitness accounts from the area paint a grim picture.

Abu Zaki, a local of Jangebe village, said the dead included the leader of the community’s vigilante defense group and five of his colleagues, along with three civilians.

Another villager, Bello Ahmadu, confirmed the death toll and added that many locals are now too afraid to return to their farms, fearing fresh attacks.

“We can’t go out to work our land anymore,” Ahmadu lamented.

“These people are killing us, and nothing seems to stop them.”

The attack occurred in Jangebe, a village that previously made international headlines in 2021 when nearly 300 schoolgirls were abducted from a boarding school.

The girls were later released after the government reportedly paid a ransom, a common practice in bandit-related kidnappings.

Another resident, Mohammed Usman, told Reuters that the attackers held the area under siege for close to two hours before making off with the hostages.

In the aftermath, thousands of frightened residents have reportedly fled Jangebe and surrounding villages to seek refuge in safer areas.

Despite the scale of the violence, Zamfara state police have yet to issue an official response or provide clarity on rescue efforts.

The insecurity in Nigeria’s northwest has worsened in recent years.

It has grown from localized clashes between herders and farmers over land use into a broader conflict driven by weapons smuggling, organized crime, and weak law enforcement.

The bandit gangs, operating from dense forests spanning Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger states, have grown more brazen and sophisticated, often launching coordinated attacks on entire communities.

In response to the deteriorating situation, the Zamfara state government has enlisted the help of local vigilante groups and militias to support the military’s counter-banditry operations.

However, these groups have themselves come under scrutiny for their tactics and alleged human rights abuses.

Last month, vigilantes working with Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) launched a raid on a gang leader’s enclave in Shinkafi district, reportedly killing about 100 people.

While officials described the operation as a success, rights groups have called for independent investigations into possible extrajudicial killings.

The recurring violence has not only resulted in widespread displacement but also sparked national debates about security sector reform, governance failures, and the socio-economic drivers of rural insurgency.

With peace and stability still elusive, communities in Zamfara and beyond continue to live under the shadow of fear.

For many residents, Friday’s attack is another grim reminder that the fight against banditry in Nigeria is far from over.

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