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Nigerian military has rescued at least 16 of the over 100 people that were kidnapped in the north-central Kaduna state between Saturday and Sunday from the region.
Kidnappings by criminal gangs and terror groups demanding ransom payments have become an almost daily occurrence in Nigeria, especially in the north, with authorities seemingly powerless to stop them.
A local official told Nigerian media that gunmen carried out an attack around 10 pm local time Sunday in Kajuru-Station village of Kaduna State, taking 87 people, including women and children. Officials said the assailants also broke into shops to steal food and other provisions.
The officials said the kidnappings came the day after 16 others — 15 women and a man — were taken in a separate attack in the nearby Dogon Noma community.
In an interview with Reuters news agency, village leader Tanko Wada Sarkin said five of the people returned after fleeing the attackers through the bush. He said the bandits have attacked the community five times in recent days.
The events follow a mass kidnapping earlier this month of more than 287 students in Kaduna’s Kuriga town. The children are thought to be held hostage in the remote forests throughout the region.
After that kidnapping, the UN Nigeria humanitarian coordinator, Mohamed Malick Fall, issued a statement condemning the abduction and called for the immediate release of the victims.
Fall called on Nigerian authorities to provide more job opportunities to IDPs within their camps, so they don’t have to venture out and expose themselves to gangs and terrorists.
16 abductees rescued
Nigeria’s military on Tuesday said troops rescued 16 abductees in northwest Kaduna state after exchanging fire with insurgents. According to a military statement posted on X, troops responded to a tip about the operation Sunday night of nonstate armed groups in the Tantatu community in Kajuru district.
The military said the attackers had taken several hostages before they arrived, exchanged fire with them and saved 16 of the abductees.
The army said troops are still searching the forests for missing people. The latest string of kidnappings in Nigeria in recent weeks is stoking fears of rising insecurity. Security analyst Chidi Omeje says worsening economic problems and lack of governance in remote areas are to blame.
“These guys are becoming more audacious because they see the window of opportunity, and they’re just exploiting it,” Omeje said. “It’s very obvious that the response of the security government and security agencies are not effective enough to contain these infractions. But these are just the symptoms. The real issue here is the growing poverty and despondency in the people.”
The latest incidents prompted authorities last week to order the establishment of a mobile police force base in the state. But security analyst Kabir Adamu said what is needed the most is a change of strategy.
“There are gaps within the security architecture,” Adamu said. “The farther away you go from the city center, the bigger the gaps. It shows clearly that protection, especially in the rural areas, is almost nonexistent for the dwellers.”
Kaduna is home to many military training institutions and installations. Omeje said authorities need to revise the deployment of police officers to where they’re needed the most. He said that there are many ungoverned areas while 60 per cent of the nation’s police are devoted to VIP protection.
“Ten per cent or so are in administration in the offices, then you’re left with about 30 per cent doing the real policing work,” Omeje said. “We have to be intentional about going back to the normal internal security structure.”
President Bola Tinubu, who is implementing bold economic reforms, vowed last year to address insecurity if he was elected president. On March 14, 16 soldiers, including high-ranking officers, were killed and decapitated in southern Delta state. They were on a mission to quell conflict between two communities in the Bomadi region.
The Nigerian military has launched an investigation.
Source: The Observer