Gunmen have kidnapped around 100 people, including women and children, in two weekend attacks in Kaduna state, residents and police said on Monday. Kidnappings by criminal gangs demanding ransoms have become an almost daily occurrence in Nigeria, especially in the north, with authorities seemingly powerless to stop them. Kaduna police spokesperson Mansur Hassan confirmed the incident in Kajuru Station village on Sunday night but could not give a figure on those missing. He said security agents had been deployed to rescue the villagers. Tanko Wada Sarkin, a village head, said 87 people were taken. "We have so far recorded the…

At least 14 people have been reportedly kidnapped by gunmen in Dogon Noma community, Kajuru LGA of Kaduna state. The gunmen were said to have invaded the community early Saturday morning before abducting the locals. Condemning the abduction on Sunday, Usman Stingo, lawmaker representing Kajuru at the Kaduna house of assembly, said the community has been under constant attacks by bandits. “The bandits invaded the community on Saturday at about 5:45am and kidnapped 14 people while one person was seriously injured,” the legislator said. “The attacks on our community have been persistent since 2019 and there seemed to be no…

Some residents of warring communities ambushed and killed 16 officers and personnel of the 181 Amphibious Battalion of the Nigerian Army on a peace mission to Okuoma community in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta on Thursday. Those killed were the commanding officer, two majors, one captain and 12 soldiers. The Acting Director, Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, made this known on Saturday in Abuja. He stated that the troops were ambushed and killed while responding to a distress call arising from a clash between Okuama and Okoloba communities in Delta. Gusau, a brigadier general, stated that the Chief of Defence…

Gunmen have kidnapped 61 people from a village in northern Kaduna state, days after nearly 300 students went missing in an attack by an armed gang, residents said on Tuesday. Armed groups, known locally as bandits, have wreaked havoc for years in northern Nigeria where they target villagers, motorists on highways and students from schools for ransom. Gunmen attacked Buda community around midnight on Monday, firing sporadically, a tactic used to scare, residents said. The kidnappings often happen in remote communities, leaving residents helpless. Resident Lawal Abdullahi said he was away when the gunmen struck but his wife was among…