More than 100 people, including women and children, were abducted by unidentified gunmen from four villages in Zamfara State on Sunday, according to the information commissioner and residents.

Among the victims, 40 were abducted from Kanwa village located in Zurmi Council, while 37, mainly women and children, were taken into the Kwabre community situated in the same council. In another incident, at least 38 people were kidnapped while working on their farms in the Yankaba and Gidan Goga communities of Maradun Council.

Security forces have been deployed to the areas in an attempt to rescue the victims.

Suspected jihadist gunmen used explosives to blast their way into a Nigerian prison near the capital in July
Representative image AFP

The gunmen were using the victims as human shields to protect themselves from the ongoing heavy bombardments of their hideouts, he added.

"Right now Kanwa village is deserted, the bandits divided themselves into two groups and attacked the community. They kidnapped children aged between 14 to 16 years and women," a resident said.

Authorities plan a heightened security presence in the surrounding areas, launch operations to apprehend the attackers, and rescue the victims.

Localized transport disruptions are likely as security forces may establish roadblocks and checkpoints. Armed clashes between kidnappers and security forces cannot be ruled out.

In some areas of the northwest region, gangs have reportedly imposed levies on farmers as a condition of allowing them to harvest their crops unhindered. Such levies are believed to be a major source of funding for these gangs.

Unfortunately, Zamfara is not the only Nigerian state struggling with kidnapping for ransom cases.

This threat is especially acute in the northwest, where officials have failed to curtail attacks and kidnappings despite various security measures implemented, such as increased operations, curfews, and business restrictions.

The vast majority of kidnappings in Nigeria are carried out for financial reasons by criminal groups (also referred to as bandits), who vary in terms of the sophistication of their methods. There are also militant and extremist groups who conduct kidnappings that may be motivated by ideology or finances.