Gunmen took at least sixty people hostagemostly women, in a remote community in the northwestern state of Zamfara, Nigeria in the midst of celebrating the birth of the prophet Muhammadresidents said Thursday, as the region continues to be hit by a wave of murderous violence and kidnappings for ransom.
Gangs have plagued northwest Nigeria and other parts of the country for over a decade, robbing or kidnapping. Their attacks have multiplied of late as security forces have been overstretched.
The lack of security raises the question of whether and to what extent local residents will be able to vote in February’s presidential election to elect a successor to President Muhammadu Buhari, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.
Two residents said gunmen riding motorcycles arrived in the Magami Tandu community on Wednesday afternoon and started shooting sporadically.
They then abducted mainly women participating in celebrations for the birth of the prophet Mohammed, which is generally celebrated from late September to late November in Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim northern states.
“Every day we have killings, kidnappings, we are left homeless. Please (tell) the government to take action, to bring us justice,” Abdulkarim Haruna, whose wife is among the abducted women, told Reuters news agency.
At the same time, residents reported that on Tuesday, gunmen attacked the Ryuji community, not far from Magami Tandu, and killed 19 people.
Police spokesman in Zamfara state, Mohammed Shehu, could not be reached for comment on reports of the attacks.
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