Mass Abductees, Including Woman Who Just Gave Birth, Rescued In Zamfara As Insecurity Worsens

Zamfara State- A group of people abducted by gunmen have been rescued in Dan Jibga area of Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, including a woman who reportedly gave birth shortly after regaining freedom.

It was gathered that the victims were rescued and subsequently taken to a hospital by the Chairman of Tsafe Local Government Area, alongside a team of security personnel, to receive urgent medical attention and continued healthcare.

Afrika Eyes gathered that the rescued persons were in critical condition when they were brought in.

Among them are individuals with various degrees of injuries, while others were described as extremely weak and exhausted after spending an extended period in captivity.

Some of the victims were reportedly unable to stand on their feet due to severe fatigue, hunger, and trauma suffered during their ordeal.

A particularly distressing case among the rescued abductees is that of a woman who had just given birth.

According to eyewitnesses familiar with the situation, the woman endured pregnancy under harsh and inhumane conditions while in captivity before eventually delivering her baby shortly after the rescue.

Both the mother and the newborn were rushed to the hospital for urgent medical care.

The rescue comes amid worsening insecurity in Tsafe Local Government Area, which has remained one of the most volatile flashpoints of banditry in Zamfara State.

Residents say attacks in Tsafe are more frequent and brutal compared to many other parts of the state, forcing communities to live in constant fear.

In 2022, hundreds of residents of Magazu and Marke communities in Tsafe Local Government Area were forced to flee their homes following incessant raids and violent attacks by gunmen, locally referred to as bandits.

The attacks led to mass displacement, loss of livelihoods, and the abandonment of farmlands, deepening humanitarian challenges in the area.

Zamfara State, like much of Nigeria’s north-west region, has been plagued by persistent banditry for years. Armed groups operating across the region have killed thousands of people and injured many more.

Entire villages have been sacked, homes destroyed, farmlands overrun, and livestock rustled on a massive scale.

Beyond killings and destruction, the gunmen are known to impose levies on rural communities as a condition for allowing residents to farm or live in their ancestral homes. Those who fail to pay are often killed or abducted, further entrenching a cycle of fear, poverty, and displacement.

Despite repeated assurances by authorities, residents say the security situation in Tsafe and surrounding areas remains dire, with many communities still exposed to attacks.