A fresh wave of violence swept through Fegin Baza village in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Saturday as armed bandits launched a deadly night raid that left three residents dead and at least 64 others abducted. Women and children were among those taken, deepening fears over the worsening insecurity crippling rural communities in the North-West.
According to local sources, the attackers stormed the community in large numbers, shooting sporadically to force residents out of their homes. The gunmen reportedly moved from compound to compound, rounding up villagers before herding them into the forest. Residents say the assailants operated for hours without resistance, as security operatives were not immediately available to confront the attackers.
A community leader who spoke on condition of anonymity described the night as “one of the darkest in recent years,” noting that the kidnappers appeared organised and familiar with the terrain. Many families woke up to the grim reality of missing loved ones, with dozens of households now uncertain about the fate of their abducted members.
Fegin Baza, like many communities in Tsafe LGA, has suffered a series of coordinated attacks in the past year, with bandits often targeting villages for mass abductions, cattle rustling and extortion. Residents say they have repeatedly appealed for stronger security presence, but the response has remained largely inadequate.
Security analysts say the latest kidnapping highlights the expanding capacity of criminal syndicates operating across Zamfara’s forest corridors, where many abductees are held for ransom. The inclusion of women and children among the 64 kidnapped victims has heightened concerns over prolonged captivity and the potential for severe humanitarian and psychological consequences.
Local authorities are yet to release an official statement on the attack, and there has been no confirmation of any rescue effort underway. Community members, however, have begun mobilising vigilante groups in hopes of tracking the abductors, although many fear that such self-help efforts could expose them to further danger.
Saturday’s incident adds to the long list of violent attacks that have left thousands displaced and dozens of communities deserted across Zamfara. As fears of renewed assaults grow, villagers in and around Tsafe are calling on the federal and state governments to act decisively before the situation spirals further out of control.