8 dead and 150 kidnapped in a motorcycle attack

At least eight people were killed and around 150 villagers abducted when armed gangs on motorcycles burst into the village of Kuchi, in Niger State, central Nigeria.

“The attackers, divided into groups of three per motorcycle, operated for three hours without encountering any resistance,” according to reports.

“No help was forthcoming throughout the attack,” reports added.

These mass kidnappings for ransom are common in the north-western, central and north-eastern regions of Nigeria.

Heavily armed gangs regularly target isolated villages to loot and capture inhabitants. In addition, the terrorist groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) also carry out mass kidnappings in the country.

This attack underlines the vulnerability of Nigerian villages to the persistent threat of armed groups, and the need for a reinforced response to protect local populations.