A brutal overnight raid has left the village of Sabongarin Damri in northwest Nigeria’s Zamfara State reeling, after armed men on motorcycles killed at least 11 residents and abducted more than 70 others—most of them women and children. The attack, which occurred late Saturday, is the latest in a string of mass abductions that have plagued the region.

Eyewitnesses described a terrifying scene as the gunmen stormed the village, firing indiscriminately and dragging victims onto their motorcycles before disappearing into nearby bushland. “They came shooting randomly,” said resident Isa Sani, whose daughters were taken. “We’ve heard nothing since.”

Another villager, Sufiyanu Ibrahim, recounted being shot in the leg while his wife was seized. “There were gunshots everywhere … I narrowly escaped,” he told reporters. The attackers reportedly moved swiftly, targeting homes and rounding up entire families.

Local chief Shehu Musa confirmed that more than 60 people were abducted, though the actual number may be higher as several villagers remain unaccounted for. The death toll, currently at 11, could rise as search efforts continue and more bodies are recovered.

Zamfara has become the epicentre of Nigeria’s escalating “bandit” crisis—an umbrella term for loosely organized armed gangs that terrorize rural communities. These groups routinely carry out mass kidnappings, extort ransoms, and disrupt farming and travel across the region.

Over the past five years, thousands of people have been kidnapped in Zamfara alone. Victims are often held for months in remote camps, with families forced to pay exorbitant ransoms for their release. In some cases, hostages have been killed despite payments being made.

The latest attack follows a disturbing trend of increasingly large-scale abductions. A recent UN conflict monitoring report noted a shift in bandit strategy toward mass captures in northern Zamfara, with Sabongarin Damri identified as a new hotspot.

Security forces have yet to issue an official statement on the incident. Police in Zamfara did not respond to media inquiries, and no group has claimed responsibility. However, such attacks are commonly attributed to bandit networks operating across the northwest.

The region’s rugged terrain and limited state presence have made villages like Sabongarin Damri particularly vulnerable. Despite military deployments and airstrikes targeting known hideouts, armed gangs continue to operate with impunity, often outpacing government response.

Humanitarian groups warn that the violence is worsening an already dire situation. Attacks have displaced thousands, disrupted food production, and deepened malnutrition in rural areas. Climate change and reduced international aid have further complicated relief efforts.

As residents mourn the dead and search for the missing, calls are growing for a more coordinated and sustained security strategy. Community leaders are urging federal authorities to bolster protection, improve intelligence sharing, and address the root causes of rural insecurity.

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