Gunmen abduct numerous passengers in bold attack on Zamfara highway

In a shocking incident on Saturday evening, gunmen suspected to be bandits launched a brazen attack on travelers along a key highway in Zamfara State, abducting multiple passengers.

Eyewitness accounts indicate that the assailants intercepted vehicles on the Damri to Bakura road, forcibly taking control of two fully occupied vehicles and kidnapping everyone on board. The abduction, which took place in broad daylight, has once again highlighted the deteriorating security situation in Zamfara and the broader northwest region of Nigeria.

An X user, DanKatsina50, who shared the news online, expressed outrage over the incident, stating, “It’s shocking that terrorists can block a road in broad daylight without any fear. The northwest region of Nigeria has become a hub of terror.”

Zamfara State has long been plagued by the activities of criminal gangs, often referred to as bandits, who have terrorized the region with raids on villages, mass abductions, and other violent acts. These groups have established camps in vast forest areas spanning Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger states, making it difficult for security forces to root them out.

Efforts to broker peace with these armed groups, such as the 2019 initiative by the former Zamfara State Governor, now Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, have yielded limited success. Despite the agreements, the violence has persisted, with kidnappings and killings remaining a grim reality for residents in the affected areas.

The latest attack underscores the urgent need for enhanced security measures and a more effective strategy to combat the growing threat posed by these armed groups in Nigeria’s northwest.