In the early hours of Friday, gunmen attacked the village of Birnin Jarma in Nigeria’s northwestern Zamfara State, killing one man and abducting 18 women and children. Locals identified the attackers as “bandits” primarily linked to cattle-rustling networks.
Local resident Ibrahim Bello reported that around 5 a.m., as villagers were preparing for the Fajr prayers, the gunmen entered the village, shot a man inside his home, and injured his wife. They then abducted 18 women and children.
Lawal Umar, a resident of the nearby town of Bukkuum, stated that the attackers are believed to be from Anka District. He added that the abducted victims were taken to a nearby forest where the assailants set up a camp. “Deployment of troops in the village was impossible at the time because the river between Birnin Jarma and Bukkuum was swollen,” Umar explained.
Zamfara State has long struggled with banditry and armed attacks. Local authorities are attempting to respond swiftly, but defense operations have been limited due to the river and other geographical obstacles.
Source: New Zealand Herald