Gunmen abduct 100 civilians in the lawless Nigeria’s Zamfara state for ransom

Bold and daring gunmen have abducted over 100 civilians mostly women and children in the insecurity prone Zamfara state in Nigeria for ransom.

The gunmen roamed from village to village violently seizing subdued groups of people from four villages of Kanwa in Zurmi local government area of Zamfara, Yankaba and Gidan Goga communities of Maradun local government.

Kidnapping has become endemic in northwest Nigeria as roving gangs of armed men abduct people from villages, highways and farms, and demand ransom money from their relatives.

Reports indicate more than 40 people were abducted from Kanwa, another 37, mostly women and in Kwabre community in the same local government area and 38 others in Yankaba and Gidan Goga communities.

Nigerian forces have launched a series of airstrikes in Zamfara and other troubled northern states, neutralizing many insurgents and dislodging them from their hideouts in the region’s vast forest reserves.

The country’s military has also come under criticism after some of its air raids were found to have caused civilian deaths.

Last month, Nigeria’s Air Force said it was reviewing “all allegations of accidental air strikes on civilians as well as review the circumstances leading to such strikes.”