Massacre in Nigeria: Armed Attackers Kill 50, Women and Children Kidnapped

Nigeria: A heart-wrenching incident has happened again in Zamfara State of Nigeria. Tungan Dutse village was attacked by armed miscreants from Thursday evening to Friday morning. At least 50 people were killed, and many women and children were abducted. State MLA Hamisu A. Faroo himself has said.

What exactly happened in the attack?

The attackers entered the village at around 5 pm and remained there till 3:30 am. They set fire to houses and opened fire on those who were trying to escape. MLA Faroo told on phone that these people were moving from one village to another and killing people on the way. The exact number of abducted people is not yet known as local leaders and officials are counting the missing people.

What did the villagers say?

Abdullahi Sani (41 years old), also from the village, said that three members of his family were killed in this attack. He said, "No one slept last night, everyone is in pain." People had already warned the security forces that armed people were coming on more than 150 motorcycles, but no one paid attention. Now the entire area is in shock, people are crying and are not ready to leave their homes out of fear.

Who are these bandits and why is this violence increasing?

People here call them "Bandits" – these are organized criminal gangs that commit robberies, murders and kidnappings. They especially abduct women and children and demand ransom or keep them forcibly. They have been creating terror in Zamfara and surrounding areas for years. The area is forested and hilly, due to which they easily attack and run away. Such incidents have intensified in recent months, due to which farmers are afraid of going to the fields and the roads have also become dangerous.

What are the government and police doing?

There has been no news of any major statement or action yet. The MLA also said that the number of abducted people was not confirmed. Local traditional leaders and government officials are busy searching for the missing people. But why is there no major change in security despite such news coming again and again?

This is not just the story of one village, but shows the massive security failure of the entire northwestern Nigeria. Unless these bandit gangs are strictly controlled, innocent people will continue to die and families will continue to be destroyed.