Gunmen have abducted more than 30 people in separate attacks across northern Nigeria, security sources confirmed on Monday, as concerns deepen over a surge in mass kidnappings.
Gatekeepers News reports that a security report prepared for the United Nations and seen by AFP revealed that armed criminal gangs — commonly referred to as “bandits” — kidnapped at least 25 residents in twin attacks on Unguwar Tsamiya and Dabawa villages in Kano State. Such incidents are uncommon in Kano, which serves as northern Nigeria’s commercial hub.
In Borno State, nine onion farmers were seized by suspected jihadists, according to militia commander Tijjani Ahmed. Borno remains the epicentre of Nigeria’s prolonged jihadist insurgency, now in its 15th year.
Kidnapping for ransom has become a nationwide menace since Boko Haram abducted 276 schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014. With hundreds of recent school abductions, the UN has warned of a “surge in mass abductions” across the country.
Nigeria also faces rising diplomatic pressure, including criticism from the United States, which has controversially accused the government of enabling mass killings of Christians — claims Abuja and independent analysts firmly reject. They argue that violence in Nigeria stems from overlapping security crises that affect all communities irrespective of ethnicity or religion.
Kidnapping Crisis Deepens
November alone witnessed around 400 abductions, including over 300 schoolchildren, according to an AFP tally.
Accurate kidnapping statistics remain elusive — many cases go unreported — but security consultancy SBM Intelligence recorded 4,722 kidnappings in 997 incidents between July 2024 and June 2025, with at least 762 people killed. During that period, bandits collected an estimated ₦2.57 billion (about $1.66 million) in ransom payments.
SBM described the kidnap-for-ransom trend as a “structured, profit-seeking industry,” dominated by armed groups motivated by financial gain rather than ideology. These groups operate largely in areas with minimal state presence, engaging in kidnappings, extortion and looting.
Although government efforts have occasionally sought peace deals with bandit groups, critics argue that such agreements often allow criminals to retain their weapons and use ceasefire zones as staging grounds for new attacks.
Tinubu Reacts
President Bola Tinubu recently decried the worsening insecurity, saying the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi and the killing of soldiers in Borno had left him “depressed.” He called on communities to support security forces through timely information.
“Those who threaten the safety of our citizens will face the full weight of the Nigerian state,” Tinubu warned.
