‘If you started running, they shot you’ – inside Nigeria’s growing kidnapping crisis
"If you ran into a room, they set the room on fire," says Fatima, describing a recent attack on her village in Zamfara, north-western Nigeria. "If you came out and started running, they shot you."
A shocking kidnapping crisis has gripped Nigeria, with the country's north-western region experiencing a surge in attacks. Fatima, a 55-year-old resident of Bia Buki village, recounts the gruesome details of an attack that left her husband and six of his siblings dead. Describing her harrowing experience, Fatima reveals that the attackers surrounded her village from multiple angles, indiscriminately firing their weapons as she and her fellow villagers attempted to flee.
She fled into the forest with other villagers, seeking safety among the trees. The camp in Gusau, where she now resides, has thousands of displaced people living in dire conditions with scarce food and little comfort. Despite the army's presence and vigilante groups' efforts, bandits continue to terrorize the region, forcing people to live in constant fear.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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