Gunmen abducted at least 52 individuals, including children, during an overnight raid on a village and military base in Nigeria’s Zamfara state, local sources reported. The attack occurred in Kasuwar Daji, within the Kaura Namoda local government area, in the early hours between Saturday and Sunday.

According to residents, the assailants, who arrived on motorcycles, first targeted a military base on the edge of the community. They reportedly seized weapons, set a military patrol vehicle on fire, and then raided the village. Initial reports suggested that more than 100 people were taken hostage before some were released, leaving approximately 52 still in captivity. Among those abducted were family members of local residents, including children and married women.

No military personnel were believed to have been kidnapped during the attack. However, residents confirmed casualties among security forces. Local witness Alhaji Ibrahim Musa described the incident as part of a pattern of repeated assaults on the community, noting a recent attack on a nearby police station.

The Nigerian Army confirmed that troops countered the attack on the military base. Army spokesman Olaniyi Osoba said soldiers repelled the gunmen, who killed one soldier and one policeman. Osoba stated that the assailants—referred to by the military as “terrorists,” a term broadly applied to multiple armed groups—also kidnapped an unspecified number of civilians. Representatives from the Zamfara police did not respond to inquiries.

This violent episode coincided with another attack in Sabon Birni, a village in the neighboring Sokoto state near Nigeria’s border with Niger. Local residents reported that at least 11 people were killed during an assault that lasted from late Saturday night until early Sunday morning.

The northwest region of Nigeria has been consistently destabilized by armed groups often described as “bandits.” These groups engage in kidnappings, cattle rustling, village raids, and illegal mining operations in areas with limited government presence. Since kidnappings have proven highly profitable, they have become a common tactic among these groups, especially in the northwest and northeastern parts of the country.

A Lagos-based consultancy, SBM Intelligence, estimated that ransom payments linked to kidnappings across Nigeria reached approximately $1.66 million between July 2024 and June 2025. The ongoing security challenges continue to strain local communities and complicate government efforts to restore stability in the region.