25 Women and Girls Abducted in Zamfara in Alarming Gender-Based Attack

At least 25 females, including married women and young girls, were abducted on Saturday night during a violent bandit raid on Kwanar Na Uwa, a rural community in Tofa District, Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The attackers stormed the village under the cover of darkness, targeting homes and forcibly taking only female residents. The abduction has been described by experts as a serious case of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), with significant concerns about the risk of sexual assault.

In a post shared on Sunday via X (formerly Twitter), respected security analyst @Bakatsine wrote:

“Yesterday night, bandits invaded Kwanar Na Uwa in Tofa District, Bungudu LGA, Zamfara. They abducted 25 females, both married women and young girls. This is a grave case of Gender-Based Violence, GBV, with high risk of sexual abuse.”

As of this report, no official statement has been released by local authorities or security agencies regarding rescue operations or demands from the attackers.

This incident adds to a disturbing trend of mass abductions in northern Nigeria, where women and girls have frequently been targeted by non-state armed groups. Many such attacks go underreported, especially in hard-to-reach rural areas.

Human rights organizations have repeatedly warned that abductions of this nature often lead to trauma, forced marriages, and sexual slavery, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria’s northwest.

As the families of the victims await news, tension continues to rise in surrounding communities, where fears of further raids loom.

Women’s rights advocates are calling for urgent national attention, stronger protection mechanisms for rural women, and greater accountability for rising insecurity across Zamfara State.