Ten people were killed and at least 160 villagers kidnapped in Nigeria’s central Niger state, officials report.
A large group of armed men, suspected to be from the militant Islamist group Boko Haram, invaded Kuchi village on Friday night, according to local official Aminu Abdulhamid Najume.
Most of those kidnapped were women and children, while the victims included local hunters providing security.
The attackers reportedly arrived on motorbikes, spent over two hours in the village, cooking, making tea, and looting houses before leaving. Najume, who chairs the Munya Local Government Area Council, described the community as traumatized and anxious for news of the abducted.
Amnesty International expressed “deep concern” over the mass abduction, criticizing the Nigerian authorities’ failure to protect lives. The organization highlighted a pattern of attacks and kidnappings in Kuchi village since 2021, urging the government to take action and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Increased attacks in Niger state have raised concerns, though links to jihadist groups remain unclear. Last month, several villages in the area were targeted by armed gangs kidnapping for ransom.
