Over 150 residents were abducted from the villages of Kurfa Ɗanya and Kurfan Magaji in Zamfara State during a coordinated midnight attack by armed bandits. The assault occurred late Thursday night in the Bukkuyum Local Government Area, according to Suleiman Abubakar, the lawmaker representing Gumi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency. He confirmed the incident in an interview with BBC Hausa, describing how villagers were taken while asleep. Survivors fled to the Bukkuyum Local Government Council headquarters, where panic has taken hold. Residents also reported to PREMIUM TIMES that neighbouring settlements were attacked, triggering mass displacement.
The region has long been plagued by banditry, with abductions primarily driven by ransom demands rather than ideological motives. Mr Abubakar criticized the federal government's security focus on Borno State, saying Zamfara faces equally severe threats. "The government's security priorities have shifted toward Borno State due to the resurgence of Boko Haram insurgents. We are pleading for the same level of attention, as Zamfara is facing equally dire security challenges," he said. The rugged terrain and proximity to vast forest reserves allow bandits to operate with relative ease.
Suleiman Abubakar's appeal exposes a political imbalance in how Nigeria's security crises are prioritized. While Boko Haram grabs headlines, the profit-driven violence in Zamfara continues with less urgency and fewer resources. The fact that over 150 people can be seized in one night shows military efforts like Operation Hadarin Daji have not broken the cycle. For residents of Gumi and Bukkuyum, safety remains a distant idea, not a promise.
