Over 80 Abducted As Bandits Raid Niger, Zamfara Communities

• More than 80 people have been reportedly abducted in separate attacks by suspected bandits across communities in Niger and Zamfara states, in a fresh wave of kidnappings targeting farmers and other residents in northern Nigeria.

• The Niger State Police Command confirmed that more than 20 people were kidnapped on Sunday at Mukura village in Kasuwan-Garba District of Mariga Local Government Area

• The latest Niger attacks came barely a day after at least 47 farmers, most of them women, were reportedly abducted while harvesting groundnuts in the Mariga area

• Another report by Agence France-Presse (AFP) said about 40 women were kidnapped at Yargada community near Gusau in neighbouring Zamfara State on Sunday.

September 28, () – More than 80 people have reportedly been abducted in separate attacks by suspected bandits in Niger and Zamfara states, highlighting the continuing threat posed by armed criminal gangs to farming communities across northern Nigeria.

The attacks occurred over the weekend, with the victims reportedly targeted in rural communities and on farms, where residents remain vulnerable to armed groups operating across large forested areas of the North-West and North-Central regions.

In Niger State, the Police Command confirmed the abduction of more than 20 people at Mukura village in Kasuwan-Garba District of Mariga Local Government Area.

The attack occurred at about 3:00 pm on Sunday, September 27, according to the command’s spokesperson, Abiodun Wasiu.

Wasiu, in a statement, said joint security teams had commenced rescue operations aimed at locating the victims and securing their release.

The police did not immediately disclose the identities of the victims or provide details on whether the abductors had contacted their families or demanded ransom.

The latest incident occurred barely 24 hours after another mass abduction was reported in the same Mariga Local Government Area.

According to AFP, at least 47 farmers, most of them women, were kidnapped by suspected bandits while harvesting groundnuts in the area on Saturday.

The victims were reportedly working on their farms when the attackers struck, taking them away from the farming community.

In neighbouring Zamfara State, about 40 women were also reportedly abducted at Yargada community near Gusau on Sunday.

The attacks come amid persistent insecurity across parts of northern Nigeria, where armed gangs have continued to raid villages, attack farmers, abduct residents and demand ransom for their release.

Farmers Under Threat

Bandit groups operating across parts of the North-West and North-Central regions have increasingly targeted farmers, particularly during periods of planting and harvesting.

The gangs frequently raid villages, attack farmers, steal cattle and other property, and abduct residents for ransom.

For communities in affected areas, the consequences extend beyond the immediate loss of family members.

Fear of abduction has forced some farmers to abandon their farms or limit the time they spend in remote locations, raising concerns over agricultural output and the livelihoods of rural households.

The situation has also complicated efforts by authorities to maintain food production in areas already grappling with displacement and insecurity.