About 150 people, including women and children, were kidnapped, with one person killed in a planned attack by gunmen on four villages in Nigeria’s northwest Zamfara state, according to reports by the residents on Saturday, November 25.
At the time of making this report, the Zamfara police spokesperson had not immediately responded to Reuters’ request for comment on the attack, which took place on Friday night.
However, the Residents had informed newsmen that gunmen, with the aid of dozens of motorcycles, ambushed the villages of Mutunji, Kwanar-Dutse, Sabon-Garin Mahuta and Unguwar Kawo in the Maru local government area of the state.
A local village head had said that Lawali Damana, the leader of the gunmen, had asked for a 100 million Naira ($119,000) ransom from the villages as punishment following the death of four of his men at the hands of Nigerian troops earlier.
Nigeria continuously faces numerous security challenges, including a 14-year Islamist insurgency in its northeast region, a separatist violence in the southeast region, and a recurrent deadly clash between farmers and herders in the central region.
The recently elected President, Bola Tinubu has yet to reveal to the citizens his plans on he will tackle this crises.
His economic reforms, which includes the removal of an exorbitant petrol subsidy and freeing of the Naira currency, have led to a sharp inflation in the cost of living, angering citizens and leaving many in debts and suffering.
