More than 50 people, including pregnant women and children, were abducted in a raid on a village in north-west Nigeria, residents told Reuters.
The attack on Wurma in Katsina, happened on Tuesday night. Police pegged the number abducted at 15, but residents told Reuters many more were taken.
Alhaji Musa, whose daughters were among those taken, said more than 100 bandits were “shooting from all angles.”
“They operated for about three hours with nobody challenging them,” he said.
Seven residents, and a man abducted but later released, said at least 53 people were taken, including pregnant women, babies and children. Some residents received ransom requests, the sources said.
The attackers also took sheep, goats and food, they added.
In a statement, Katsina police said 15 women were abducted and 10 were freed unharmed following a gun battle with police.
“Search parties were dispatched with a view to rescue the others,” the police said.
Government attributes the attacks to bandits, a term applied to outlaws who rob, kidnap and kill residents.
