Distraught people have gathered at the palace of a traditional leader in Nigeria who has been kidnapped.
Ayuba Dodo Dakolo was abducted on Thursday with three of his children and several other people on his farm on the outskirts of the village of Rijana in the northern Kaduna state.
His subjects are at the palace awaiting news of his fate as gunmen are reported to have demanded a ransom and other items, including fuel, drugs and food.
The village is near the notorious Abuja-Kaduna highway, where kidnapping gangs often target people travelling between the capital, Abuja and the city of Kaduna.
Kidnappers have also hit the town of Magazu in neighbouring Zamfara state this week.
On Thursday night more than 20 people were seized, with 40 others – mostly women - captured a few days earlier.
The gunmen on motorbikes and vehicles also stole livestock during the attacks.
A senior Zamfara official confirmed the abductions, telling the BBC that more security forces had been sent to the area as hundreds of people were fleeing the town fearing further attacks.
Nigeria is struggling to curb a deadly wave of kidnappings for ransom by armed gangs who frequently target unprotected rural communities, schools and motorists.
The deployment of thousands of security forces has failed to end the violence so far.
The kidnappers, locally known as bandits, have killed more than 3,500 people since the beginning of this year, according to some estimates.
On Wednesday the senate passed a controversial bill to jail anyone who pays ransoms and impose the death penalty or life on kidnappers. It needs to be approved by the lower house and signed by the president before it becomes law.
Latest Stories
-
We have a stable national grid; outages due to localised faults – ECG
45 mins -
Easter celebration: Ghana AIDS Commission to distribute free condoms in Kwahu
60 mins -
Zeepay secures additional $3m from Verdant Capital Hybrid Fund
1 hour -
Over 70% of power outages were due to planned maintenance works – ECG to PURC
1 hour -
Access Bank partners Horseman Shoes to boost local shoe manufacturing industry
1 hour -
Election 2024: Don’t vote for candidates making empty promises – CDD to Ghanaians
1 hour -
IGP shares Easter safety tips on Adom FM’s ‘Ofie Kwanso’
2 hours -
Ebo Whyte offers fully-funded trip as he unveils new play ‘Dubai or No Sex’
2 hours -
Ancient culture of Anlo Kingdom: Exploring “Torkor Atorlia,” the fifth landing stage’s old ways of punishment
2 hours -
Leaders from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Botswana, Cameroon and Sierra Leone to lead discussions at Africa Finance Corporation’s (AFC) 4th Country & Stakeholder Symposium
3 hours -
Network International Delivers Strong 2023 Revenue growth at 15% y/y and free cashflow growth of 16% y/y
3 hours -
President Akufo-Addo extends Easter Greetings to Ghanaians, urges safe drive
3 hours -
Government pushes for use of more local materials in housing, other infrastructure projects
4 hours -
Dr Bawumia extends Easter greetings to Christians
4 hours -
CAF Confederation Cup: ‘Ghanaians should expect victory against Stade Malien’ – Dreams FC forward Ishmael Dede
4 hours