Gunmen from Boko Haram cause rampage in Nigeria, kill 10, abduct over 160

At least 10 people were killed and 160 were abducted from a remote village in Nigeria’s central Niger state. A large number of armed men who were suspected to be part of Nigeria’s militant Islamist group Boko Haram invaded a village named Kuchi and caused a major rampage in the area.

Local official Aminu Abdulhamid Najume told BBC that most of the people who were kidnapped in the area were mostly women and children. Najume also mentioned that those who were killed in the incident were mostly local hunters who were providing security to the area.

As per the reports, the gunmen reportedly rode into Kuchi on motorbikes and even spent time cooking food, making tea and looting houses. They left 2 hours after creating the ruckus. Najume, who chairs the Council of the Munya Local Government Area, also mentioned that the Kurchi community had been left traumatised and anxious to hear the news about those who were abducted in the incident.

Condemnation poured in

Reacting to the incident, Amnesty International took to X, formally known as Twitter to express its “deep concerns at the mass abduction”. “Amnesty International is deeply concerned by the abduction of over 160 people by gunmen in Kuchi village, Munya local government area of Niger State. The invasion of the village by the gunmen is yet another indication of the Nigerian authorities’ utter failure to protect lives,” the humanitarian body wrote on X.

“Amnesty International is calling on the Nigerian authorities to end these spate of abductions and bring suspected perpetrators to justice. Frequent mass abductions and killings are clear evidence of the failure of authorities to protect the people,” the body furthered.

The Nigerian wing of Amnesty International also mentioned that since 2021, gunmen from the militant group have contact attacked the Kuchi village and even raped women and girls.

“From time to time, the gunmen demand millions of Naira as ransom from the people to avoid being kidnapped,” the body mentioned. Tragic attacks in Niger have become an increasingly common phenomenon.

Last month, several villages in the region were targeted by armed gangs kidnapping people for ransom.