Nigeria has launched a manhunt for bandits who abducted over 150 people, mostly women and children, from villages in northwest Zamfara state. The gunmen raided Kurfa Danya and Kurfan Magaji villages, opening fire on vehicles and homes before taking the residents to surrounding forest areas. A joint team of police, military, and security agencies has been deployed to pursue the attackers and rescue the abducted individuals.

The incident is part of a growing trend of mass abductions and violence in the region, with bandits targeting rural communities for ransom and loot. The Nigerian government has vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice, but insecurity remains a major challenge in the country.

In a viral video, some of the abductees pleaded with the Zamfara State Government to engage in peace talks with their captors, citing dire conditions in the forest hideout. The bandits claim they are ready for dialogue, but authorities have been accused of ignoring them.