₦airaland Forum

Gunmen killed at least 50 people and abducted women and children in an overnight assault on a village in northwestern Nigeria’s Zamfara State, authorities and residents said.

The attack started late on Thursday night and continued into Friday morning in Tungan Dutse village in the Bukkuyum area of Zamfara when armed men arrived on motorcycles and began setting fire to buildings and abducting residents.


“They have been moving from one village to another … leaving at least 50 people dead,” said Hamisu A Faru, a lawmaker representing Bukkuyum South.

Faru, speaking to the Reuters news agency by phone on Friday, said the number of people abducted remained unclear as local officials were still compiling lists of the missing.

Residents say warning signs were visible before the attack.

Abdullahi Sani, 41, said villagers alerted security forces after spotting more than 150 motorcycles carrying armed men a day earlier, but no action was taken.

“No one slept yesterday; we are all in pain,” Sani said, adding that three members of his family were killed in the attack.

Areas of Nigeria’s north and west continue to grapple with overlapping security threats, including armed criminal gangs and rebel fighters.

Just last week, at least 46 people were killed in raids in the Borgu area of northwest Niger State. The deadliest assault occurred in the village of Konkoso, where at least 38 residents were shot or had their throats cut, according to reports.

The crisis has drawn increased international involvement.

Nigeria recently expanded security cooperation with the United States after President Donald Trump accused the country of failing to halt the killing of Christians and threatened military intervention.

On December 25, the US launched air strikes on the northern state of Sokoto, conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

Earlier this week, Nigeria’s military confirmed the arrival of 100 US soldiers tasked with training local forces.

Samaila Uba, spokesperson for Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, said the US troops would offer “technical support” and “intelligence sharing” to help combat “terrorist organisations”, along with “associated equipment”.

He stressed the US personnel would not engage directly in combat and would share technical expertise under Nigerian command.

Jakumo:
Nigeria is at war against terrorist forces that are well financed and highly motivated to impose by force of arms on ALL nations of West Africa, a violent and extremist version of Islamist caliphate dictatorship. The growing US military presence in Nigeria is testimony to the sincerity of purpose Nigeria's current administration has brought to bear in this war on terror.

Regardless of which of Nigeria's political parties happens to be in power, terrorist strikes CANNOT be eliminated entirely, REGARDLESS of security precautions taken. The free movement of civilians along any nation's highways cannot be prohibited in the name of preventing terrorist attacks, while it would be numerically impossible to garrison battle-ready federal troops tasked with protecting ALL towns and villages of the land.

The current Nigerian president is attuned to the urgency of the task at hand, and is responding with the alacrity that the security threat to Nigeria necessitates, by welcoming military assistance from the USA and wisely NOT from Russia, China, or Turkey, for reasons too many to list here.

jmoore:
Written by Tinubu bot?

Terrorists that use only motorcycles to attack Nigerian military base is what you call well financed?

Truth sets free while lying will keep you in bondage.

What's the budget of security sector? Don't we have airplanes?
No surveillance drones?

A country with a president that is not sick will definitely finish these ragtag terrorists.

Israel will eradicate Boko Haram ISWAP and bandits if given the opportunity.

It's only in Nigeria that terrorists will kidnap hundreds of people and no drones or airplanes will be launched to track their movements.

Whenever I see how these terrorists use motorcycles to attack, I keep saying that would have been an opportunity to finish them. If surveillance drones were available, it should pick out possible movements of large numbers of motorcycles and alert is sent for airplane to get airborne for annihilation of these ragtag terrorists.

But continue praising the inept Tinubu for his bad leadership.

Jakumo:
Regardless of which of Nigeria's political parties happens to be in power, terrorist strikes employing hit-and-run guerilla tactics CANNOT be eliminated entirely, REGARDLESS of security precautions taken. The free movement of civilians along any nation's highways cannot be prohibited in the name of preventing terrorist attacks, while it would be numerically impossible to garrison battle-ready federal troops tasked with protecting ALL towns and villages of the land.

CodeTemplar:
after hitting, where do they run to that they cannot be tracked?

Gotocourt:
Abdullahi Sani, 41, said villagers alerted security forces after spotting more than 150 motorcycles carrying armed men a day earlier, but no action was taken.

Jakumo:
Hopefully US forces will provide phone numbers where Nigerians can call direct for air strikes without having to wonder whether such cries for help are reaching the right ears. Even the smallest Nigerian village is home to may people with phones, so a helpline of this sort will save lives.

Gotocourt:
Abdullahi Sani, 41, said villagers alerted security forces after spotting more than 150 motorcycles carrying armed men a day earlier, but no action was taken.

Kalashnikov49:
So your Army in your sovereign country can't do the job again?

Jokers ..

Jakumo:
Nigeria is at war against terrorist forces that are well financed and highly motivated to impose by force of arms on ALL nations of West Africa, a violent and extremist version of Islamist caliphate dictatorship. The growing US military presence in Nigeria is testimony to the sincerity of purpose Nigeria's current administration has brought to bear in this war on terror.

Regardless of which of Nigeria's political parties happens to be in power, terrorist strikes employing hit-and-run guerilla tactics CANNOT be eliminated entirely, REGARDLESS of security precautions taken. The free movement of civilians along any nation's highways cannot be prohibited in the name of preventing terrorist attacks, while it would be numerically impossible to garrison battle-ready federal troops tasked with protecting ALL towns and villages of the land.

The current Nigerian president is attuned to the urgency of the task at hand, and is responding with the alacrity that the security threat to Nigeria necessitates, by welcoming military assistance from the USA and wisely NOT from Russia, China, or Turkey, for reasons too many to list here.

SisterAnn:
Is this what they told you to say from your WhatsApp group?

Jakumo:
If Ukraine is not too big to request military help, then Nigeria is not out of line making the same request from world powers.

dalongjnr:
They choose evil over life.
May God rest their souls.
I remember when plateau, benue, taraba,borno and nasarawa state Christians where crying of Christians genocide, they were saying contrary.
Let them enjoy the arts of their brothers.
The paintings 🖼 is in the pictures 📸.
Such a horrible thing to see.

Jakumo:
If Ukraine is not too big to request military help, then Nigeria is not out of line making the same request from world powers.

Jakumo:
Hopefully US forces will provide phone numbers where Nigerians can call direct for air strikes without having to wonder whether such cries for help are reaching the right ears. Even the smallest Nigerian village is home to may people with phones, so a helpline of this sort will save lives.