By Awoniyi Adeleke and Yusuf Ibrahim
Following the recurring bandit attacks across several rural communities in the northern part of the country, another invasion has been reported in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, resulting in the abduction of a traditional ruler.
The victim, identified as the district head of Yankuzo, Babangida Kogo, was reportedly kidnapped while attempting to flee the area amid fears of retaliatory attacks by bandits reeling from a recent military offensive.
According to a security source, the attackers intercepted him near an abandoned farmland along the Mararraba axis and whisked him away, sparing others in his entourage.
The source on Thursday, disclosed that the monarch’s convoy was ambushed by a large group of armed men suspected to be bandits, who were riding over 10 motorcycles.
The incident occurred shortly after the Nigerian Air Force launched a deadly airstrike that decimated a large gathering of armed bandits in a nearby forest enclave.
In the aftermath of the airstrike, panic swept through surrounding communities. Fearing reprisal attacks, residents began fleeing in large numbers.
It was during this wave of displacement that the abducted monarch was said to have been on the move.
“We knew they would strike back. That’s why our district head was leaving. Unfortunately, he ran into them before reaching safety,” a resident said, requesting anonymity for security reasons.
Meanwhile, local vigilante groups and security agencies have launched a manhunt for the kidnappers, while military troops have been deployed to prevent further violence in the area.
There are reports that the abduction has heightened growing concerns over the deteriorating security situation in Zamfara and across Nigeria’s North West, where military offensives have recently intensified.
