KEY POINTS

• Armed bandits abducted 13 residents during a midnight attack on Tangaram Village in Kebbi State.
• Police confirmed all victims are adult men and remain in captivity.
• Security operatives and vigilantes have launched rescue operations along the Kebbi-Zamfara border.

Armed bandits have abducted 13 residents of Tangaram Village in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State after launching a midnight attack on the community.

The bandits reportedly invaded the village in the early hours of Sunday, shooting sporadically into the air to create fear and confusion among residents. Witnesses said the gunmen moved from house to house, forcefully taking several villagers before fleeing toward routes linked to neighbouring Zamfara State.

An eyewitness described the attack as terrifying, noting that many residents ran for safety as the heavily armed bandits arrived on motorcycles.

“They came on motorcycles and started shooting into the air. People ran in different directions, but they forced their way into houses and took away several residents,” the source said.

Police Confirm Victims Still in Captivity

The Kebbi State Police Command confirmed the incident on Monday, stating that all 13 victims remain in captivity.

Police spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman, said preliminary investigations showed that all those abducted were adult male residents of the community, dismissing reports suggesting otherwise.

“The abducted persons are still in captivity following the attack on Tangaram Village, Danko/Wasagu LGA. Preliminary findings confirm that all the victims are adult male residents of the village,” Usman stated.

According to the police, tactical teams, vigilante groups and other security agencies have intensified rescue operations across communities bordering Zamfara State in a bid to free the victims and apprehend the attackers.

Usman explained that coordinated operations were ongoing in strategic locations known for bandit activities along the Kebbi-Zamfara axis.

The latest attack has heightened fears among residents living in border communities between Kebbi and Zamfara states, where armed gangs have repeatedly carried out kidnappings and violent assaults in recent months.

Locals say the difficult terrain and porous borders in the area continue to make it easier for criminal groups to operate and escape after attacks.