Nigeria : At least 35 women kidnapped by armed men
The kidnappings for ransom have multiplied in the past two years in Nigeria, posing a major problem for the country.
Criminal gangs operate on highways, in victims’ homes, and attack villages. They have once again made headlines.
« At least thirty-five women returning from a wedding were abducted by armed men in the state of Katsina in Northwest Nigeria », police sources said on Monday.
« Individuals suspected to be armed bandits ambushed and abducted about 35 women who were returning from a wedding in the Sabuwa area, during the night from Thursday to Friday », police spokesman Abubakar Aliyu said.
This mass abduction is the largest in a series of recent kidnappings that have affected the entire country.
According to Nasiru Muaz, the Commissioner for Internal Security in Katsina State, the number of people kidnapped while escorting the bride to her home could be higher.
« It was very risky for a convoy transporting a bride to travel in the darkness in such an exposed area to bandits. They seized this opportunity and took them away », he added. « This is why we draw the attention of residents to the need to avoid traveling at night », added the Commissioner for Internal Security in Katsina State.
A police operation to rescue the hostages is underway, law enforcement agencies said.
In early January, armed men kidnapped five young sisters near the capital, Abuja, killing one of them after the ransom deadline expired, sparking national outrage. Last week, two traditional leaders were killed in an attack in the same state, while armed men shot dead a traditional leader and abducted his wife in Kwara State.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who took office in 2023, has promised to tackle insecurity in the country, including jihadist groups, bandits in the northeast, and the surge in intercommunal violence in central states.
According to several analysts, Mr. Tinubu has not done much to resolve the security crisis.
« While Mr. Tinubu promised that his government would ‘mobilize the entirety’ of Nigeria’s resources to protect citizens, there has been ‘no tangible improvement in the security situation », said Mr. Ojewale, a researcher on West and Central Africa at the Africa-Centered Security Studies Institute.
