A group of terrorists disguised in hijabs abducted eight people from a community in Nigeria's northwest Zamfara state. The attack happened in Dansadau town on September 7. The terrorists wore religious garments to blend in before taking their victims .
This incident is part of a larger pattern of violence affecting northwest Nigeria. Armed groups continue to attack places of worship and communities. Just days earlier, bandits struck another mosque in Zamfara during morning prayers. They abducted several worshipers .
The violence extends beyond Zamfara. In neighboring Katsina state, attackers killed 50 people at a mosque and homes in the Unguwan Mantau area. They shot 30 worshipers and burned 20 others alive. The assailants also kidnapped 60 people during the August attack .
Local officials say the Katsina attack was retaliation. Community members had ambushed and killed bandits two days earlier. The gunmen arrived during morning prayers and fired randomly at worshipers .
Nigeria's military says it has fought back against these groups. Air and ground raids in Zamfara's Makakkari forest killed many bandits. The air force detected over 400 gang members preparing to attack a village before striking them .
Despite these efforts, violence continues across the northwest region. Criminal gangs commonly called bandits operate freely in rural areas. They attack villages, kidnap residents for ransom, and steal property .
The situation in Nigeria reflects a broader regional crisis. Neighboring Niger suffered a mosque attack that killed 44 people in March. Assailants surrounded the mosque during Friday prayers and shot worshipers randomly .
UN officials called the Niger attack a wake-up call for the international community. Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, urged better protection for civilians. He said terrorism-related deaths in the Sahel region have exceeded 6,000 for three straight years .
In Nigeria, police continue searching for abducted worshipers. After one mosque attack in Katsina, officers rescued four people but still look for 13 others. Gunmen on motorcycles had attacked the mosque during evening prayers .
Local communities feel under siege as attacks increase. A security analyst warned that northwest Nigeria faces escalating violence . The government faces growing pressure to improve security.
President Bola Tinubu has taken a firm stance against bandits and terrorists. But attacks continue to threaten stability in Africa's most populous nation .