Gunmen Kidnap 80 Including Children in Northwestern Nigeria

Residents in Zamfara State, Nigeria reported on Saturday that "gunmen have kidnapped at least 80 people, mostly women and children, in a region known for ransom-related abduction by armed gangs in remote villages." They stated that the gunmen have not requested a ransom yet. Local citizen Amina Tsafi mentioned that her daughter was among those abducted and that most of the kidnapped minors are aged between 12 and 17 years. The spokesperson for the Zamfara police confirmed in a statement, "We are working with the army and local security guards to rescue the victims." Kidnappers in Nigeria often hold their victims for months if a ransom is not paid and also demand extortion payments from villagers to allow them to farm and harvest their crops.