Nigerian security forces have launched a manhunt for armed bandits following a large-scale abduction in the northwest Zamfara State, in one of the region’s most significant recent attacks.
Gunmen stormed the villages of Kurfa Danya and Kurfan Magaji in the Bukkuyum area on Thursday, opening fire on homes and passing vehicles before moving through the communities and seizing residents.
Local officials said more than 150 people—mostly women and children—were abducted and taken toward nearby forest hideouts. The attack triggered panic across the area, forcing many residents to flee and leaving parts of the villages largely deserted.
Police confirmed the raid but said the exact number of those abducted remains under verification.
Security forces, including police and military units, have since launched a joint operation to track down the attackers and rescue those taken.
Authorities added that several residents who managed to escape were hospitalized, while search and rescue efforts remain ongoing.
Northwest Nigeria has faced years of escalating bandit violence, with armed groups carrying out mass kidnappings, raids, and killings from bases in remote forest regions.