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[CRIME] · Nigeria · 4 sources

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Nigeria kidnapping of 52 villagers in Zamfara state

Armed men on motorcycles attacked the village of Kasuwar Daji in Zamfara state, north‑west Nigeria, over the weekend. The assailants first stormed a nearby military base, stealing rifles, burning a patrol vehicle and killing one soldier and one police officer before moving into the village.

During the raid they seized more than 100 residents, later releasing many and ultimately holding 52 people, including children. Victims said the kidnappers went house‑to‑house, taking wives, teenagers and a 12‑year‑old girl. The Nigerian army spokesperson Olaniyi Osoba said troops successfully repelled the base attack but confirmed the fatalities and the abductions.

Authorities labelled the perpetrators "terrorists", a blanket term for various armed groups, including jihadist factions in the north‑east and criminal bands known as "bandits" that operate in the north‑west and central regions. Kidnappings have become a major source of revenue for these groups. The incident follows a recent wave of violence in neighbouring Sokoto state, where at least 11 people were killed near the Niger border.

Entities

Democratic Socialist Movement · Kasuwar Daji · Nigeria · Olaniyi Osoba · Shehu Abullahi · Zamfara State

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