Just a day after reports of peace deals in some parts of the North-West, bandits launched another deadly attack in Zamfara. On Monday morning, about 40 worshippers were kidnapped while praying in Gidan Turbe village, Tsafe Local Government Area.
Witnesses say the armed men stormed the mosque at about 5:30 a.m. during dawn prayers.
They surrounded the building, pointed their guns at worshippers, and forced them out. The victims were later taken into the forest around the Gohori axis in Tsafe.
The incident has left the community shaken.
Many residents say they had hoped that peace talks between local leaders and armed groups would bring calm to the region. Instead, this fresh attack has deepened fears.
A fragile peace under threat
Recently, leaders in Katsina and nearby states announced truces with some bandit groups in an effort to reduce attacks.
But the kidnapping in Zamfara has raised questions about how effective those peace deals really are.
“The bandits have no structure or single command. You can negotiate with bandits in Katsina, while others are still attacking in Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Kaduna,” one community source told Zagazola Makama.
The lack of unity among the armed groups, locals say, makes negotiations unreliable.
Each group seems to operate independently, ignoring agreements made in other states.
Silence from authorities
So far, security agencies in Zamfara have not issued an official statement about the kidnapping.
Residents are waiting anxiously for action, fearing more attacks could follow.
