3 killed, dozens Kidnapped in Fegin Baza Assault at Tsafe

Gunmen attacked Fegin Baza, a community in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, on Saturday, killing three residents and seizing at least 64 others, local reports say.

Authorities and eyewitnesses told several national outlets that the assailants swept through the village in the early hours, taking men, women and children before melting back into the surrounding bush.

The mass abduction is the latest in a string of large-scale raids that have battered northwestern Nigeria for years, with villagers repeatedly targeted for ransom or forced levies. In recent months security operations including air and ground strikes, have disrupted some armed groups, but militants continue to exploit porous terrain and stretched security resources to carry out kidnappings and ambushes

Local media coverage indicates that survivors fled to neighbouring settlements and that families are frantically trying to account for missing relatives. Community leaders who spoke to reporters urged security agencies to mount rescue operations and called on the government to prioritise the safe return of those taken.

So far there has been no public statement from the Zamfara State Government or the military confirming the casualty and abduction figures published by the press.

Security analysts say the pattern of attacks, night raids on villages, highway ambushes and kidnappings of large groups — reflects both the fragmentation of bandit networks and their adaptability. While some factions have been pressured by military strikes, others have expanded kidnapping and taxation schemes that extract money from vulnerable communities.

The phenomenon has provoked mass displacement across parts of Zamfara and neighbouring states, stretching humanitarian needs.

Humanitarian organisations and local volunteers often step in after such incidents to provide shelter, food and basic care for those who escape.

But residents and rights advocates continue to warn that without a sustained mix of security, I development and community protection measures, attacks will persist and more civilians will be forced from their homes.

What happens next will depend on confirmation from security authorities, the speed of any rescue or recovery effort, and whether police and military patrols can prevent further incursions.

For now, families in Fegin Baza and surrounding communities remain anxious for news of loved ones and fearful of renewed strikes. Journalists will continue to monitor the situation and update as official statements and verified information become available.