Armed Attackers Abduct 13 Women and Infant in Sokoto, Nigeria

Armed Attackers Abduct 13 Women and Infant in Sokoto, Nigeria
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Armed attackers abducted 13 women, including a bride, 10 bridesmaids, a baby, and two other women, during an overnight raid in Chacho village, Sokoto State, marking the latest in a series of mass kidnappings across northern Nigeria. According to the AFP news agency, the raid occurred between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

A local resident, Aliyu Abdullahi, told AFP that “bandits stormed our village last night and kidnapped 14 persons, including a bride and 10 bridesmaids, from a house in Zango neighbourhood.” He added that the baby, the baby’s mother, and another woman were also taken. Abdullahi noted that Chacho had previously been targeted in October, when 13 people were abducted and released after ransom payments.

An intelligence report seen by AFP confirmed the attack and indicated that Sokoto had experienced a significant rise in bandit-led abductions in November, the highest in the past year. The report suggested that agreements by neighboring states aimed at negotiating with bandits may have inadvertently contributed to the spike in attacks.

AFP further reported that last week, armed groups kidnapped 25 students in Kebbi State — who were later released — and over 300 students in Niger State, with rescue operations still ongoing. Mass kidnappings for ransom have become common in northern Nigeria, where armed gangs target schools and rural communities, often overwhelming local security forces.

The unrest has intensified pressure on the Nigerian government, with President Bola Tinubu declaring a nationwide emergency. Human-rights groups have urged stronger measures to protect civilians, though experts caution that oversimplified claims, such as labeling the violence as “Christian genocide,” do not reflect the full complexity of the security crisis.