LAGOS, April 4 (Reuters) – Nigerian security forces were in pursuit of gunmen after a large group of bandits abducted residents from villages in northwest Zamfara state, police said, following one of the region’s largest recent attacks.
The gunmen raided Kurfa Danya and Kurfan Magaji villages in the Bukkuyum area on Thursday, opening fire on vehicles and homes before sweeping through the communities, a local official said.
Umar Abubakar Faru, the local council chairman, told Reuters more than 150 people, mostly women and children, were abducted and taken toward surrounding forest areas, forcing residents to flee and leaving villages largely deserted.
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Zamfara state police confirmed the attack but said the number of abducted people was still being verified.
The police in a statement said a joint team of police, military and other security agencies had been deployed and were actively pursuing the attackers.
Some residents who escaped into surrounding areas were taken to hospital, police said, adding that rescue operations were ongoing.
Northwest Nigeria has struggled for years with bandit violence, including mass kidnappings for ransom and village raids, with armed groups operating from vast forest hideouts across the region.