Fresh fears have gripped residents of Tangaram Village in Kebbi State after suspected bandits abducted 13 people during a late-night attack on the community.
The gunmen reportedly invaded the village in the early hours of Sunday, firing shots to intimidate residents before moving from house to house and taking several men away.
Confirming the incident, the Kebbi State Police Command said the victims have yet to regain their freedom. Police spokesperson SP Bashir Usman clarified that all those kidnapped were adult males, dismissing conflicting reports about the identities of the victims.
“The abducted persons are still in captivity following the attack on Tangaram Village, Danko/Wasagu LGA.
“Preliminary findings, however, confirm that all the victims are adult male residents of the village, contrary to reports being circulated,” Usman said.
Security personnel, supported by vigilante groups and other agencies, have launched operations around the Kebbi-Zamfara border in an effort to locate the victims and track down the attackers.
“Police tactical teams, in collaboration with vigilante groups and other security agencies, have sustained coordinated rescue efforts along the border axis with Zamfara State with a view to ensuring the safe rescue of the victims and arrest of the perpetrators,” he added.
One resident described the invasion as chaotic, recalling how villagers fled for safety when the attackers arrived on motorcycles and opened fire.
“They came on motorcycles and started shooting into the air. People ran in different directions, but they forced theirway into houses and took away several residents,” the source said.
Tangaram and neighbouring communities have remained vulnerable to attacks because of their proximity to forests stretching across Kebbi, Zamfara and Niger states. The latest incident adds to a growing list of kidnappings and raids that have plagued the region in ryecent years.
