ABUJA — Armed bandits in northwest Nigeria abducted dozens of villagers who had gathered for a meeting intended to discuss peace negotiations, authorities said, in an incident that underscored the persistent security challenges in the region.
Police reported that 39 people were seized on Sunday during the gathering in a forest near Magamin Diddi village in the Maradun municipality of Zamfara State. The villagers had gone to meet relatives of a suspected bandit leader in an effort to broker peace and ease restrictions on community movement, according to a statement from the Zamfara State Police Command.
Some accounts indicated the number of those taken could be higher, with residents citing as many as around 50 people involved in the meeting. Police spokesperson Yazid Abubakar said in a statement that approximately 47 residents had assembled with the parents of the suspected kidnap kingpin for what was described as a reconciliation effort when the bandit leader arrived and took most of them.
The incident highlights the ongoing banditry crisis in northwest Nigeria, where criminal groups have for years carried out kidnappings, raids on villages and attacks that have displaced communities and strained local economies. Such groups often operate from forest hideouts and engage in ransom demands.
Local officials, including the Maradun local government chairman, condemned the unauthorized meeting, noting that state authorities prefer military action over negotiations with bandits. The governor of Zamfara has rejected dialogue with such groups in favor of security operations.
“Efforts to engage in peace talks must follow official channels,” a state official was quoted as saying in reports following the abduction. Details on the current status of the hostages and any ransom demands remained unclear as of Tuesday.
The event comes amid broader instability in the northwest, where banditry has overlapped with farmer-herder conflicts and other criminal activities. Nigerian authorities have launched various operations in recent years, but attacks and kidnappings continue to affect rural areas.
Aid groups and residents have repeatedly called for improved security and protection for communities. Some previous local peace initiatives have yielded temporary reductions in violence, while others have collapsed.
As of Tuesday, security forces were said to be searching for the abducted villagers. No immediate information was available on casualties or the precise identity of the bandit leader involved. Federal and state officials continued to monitor the situation, with calls for decisive action to secure the release of the hostages.
