North-west Nigeria remains tense as security agencies respond to a new wave of attacks and abductions in Zamfara and Kebbi states.
On Friday night, police said they rescued 25 kidnap victims after repelling an attack by armed bandits in Kuraje, a village in the Damba area of Gusau Local Government Area.
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The Zamfara police spokesperson, Yazid Abubakar, said in a statement on Saturday that the victims include 10 women and 15 children.
They were abducted during a raid by gunmen who stormed the community, firing sporadically and taking hostages.
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Mr Abubakar said officers from the Damba Police Division and the Department of Operations, working with members of the Community Protection Guards (CPG), responded immediately after receiving a distress call.
He said the joint team pursued the fleeing attackers and engaged them in what he described as a coordinated operation, leading to the safe rescue of all 25 abducted persons.
The victims were later taken to Sabongari Damba for profiling and subsequently reunited with their families.
The rescue comes as bandit attacks continue to unsettle communities across Zamfara and neighbouring states, despite ongoing military and police operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks operating in the region.
In neighbouring Kebbi State, the police have warned residents against embarking on protests over the recent abduction of students from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga.
The police spokesperson, Nafiu Kotarkoshi, said intelligence reports suggested that some groups and non-governmental organisations were mobilising for demonstrations in response to the incident.
He described the state’s security environment as “fragile,” warning that public protests could inflame tensions and disrupt ongoing rescue efforts.
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“While the police acknowledge public concern over the abduction, the command views any planned protest as misguided and counterproductive,” he said.
The warning reflects growing public frustration across the North-west, where repeated attacks on schools, villages, and travellers have heightened fear and renewed calls for stronger government action.
