Police in Zamfara State, northwestern Nigeria, said 39 people were abducted by gunmen on Sunday (September 15) while attending a meeting purportedly aimed at discussing a possible peace settlement. The incident occurred near the village of Magamin Diddi, in the Maradun local government area.
According to police spokesman Yazid Abubakar, the victims went to a forest near the village to meet relatives of a gang leader, hoping to achieve peace and ease restrictions imposed on the community. However, during the meeting, the gang leader and his accomplices arrived and abducted 39 people, taking them to an undisclosed location.
Some residents and local officials suggested that the number of kidnapped individuals could be as high as 50. Local residents said the armed group has demanded a ransom of 125 million naira (about 69,000 pounds) for the release of those captured. Several people have been freed to relay the ransom demand back to the village.
The chairman of the Maradun local government area stated that the state government does not support reconciliation with criminal gangs. He noted that the bandits recently blocked all roads leading to the community market to express anger over the continued killing of their members by security forces.
Zamfara State is the epicenter of a prolonged security crisis in Nigeria, where armed groups often referred to as bandits carry out mass abductions, killings, and attacks on villages. The violence has disrupted agricultural production and displaced thousands of people. Private negotiations with kidnappers have occurred to gain access to farmland or secure the release of captives, despite warnings from authorities.
Security forces have deployed personnel and intelligence equipment to locate the victims. Police said operations are underway to rescue those abducted and ensure their safe return, while also bringing the perpetrators to justice.
