{
  "id": 3740925,
  "title": "‘If you started running, they shot you’ – inside Nigeria’s growing kidnapping crisis",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/if-you-started-running-they-shot-you-inside-nigerias-growing-3740925",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-27T13:03:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Adom Online",
    "slug": "adom-online",
    "url": "https://www.adomonline.com/if-you-started-running-they-shot-you-inside-nigerias-growing-kidnapping-crisis/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the north-western region of Nigeria, a growing kidnapping crisis has caused widespread fear and displacement. Fatima, a 55-year-old resident of the village of Bia Buki, recounts the harrowing experiences of recent attacks. As the gunmen arrived at 02:00, they divided into groups to surround the village from different points, indiscriminately opening fire. Approximately 70 people, including children, were killed, with Fatima's husband and six of his seven siblings among the victims. The attackers targeted fleeing villagers, injuring children who fell into ditches. The crisis has forced an estimated 800,000 Nigerians to flee their homes, many joining government-backed vigilante groups to combat the threat. Despite some success, the violence continues to spread southwards. Fatima and her seven children now live in an informal camp in Gusau, where they face scarce resources and continued threats. Bandits, predominantly members of the Fulani ethnic group, have shifted from cattle trading to kidnapping and extortion, which offer a faster and more lucrative means of making money. They target towns, villages, and travelers, demanding ransom or forcing communities to pay protection money. The number of incidents reported by Acled rose by 78% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, while SBM Intelligence estimates that 7,825 people were kidnapped between July 2025 and June 2026, a 66% increase. The bandit activity is a significant contributor to Nigeria's complex security situation, alongside an Islamist insurgency, separatist unrest, and land and water access disputes.",
  "summary": "“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.” The gunmen, who struck at 02:00, split into groups to surround residents: one at the village entrance, one in the […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC World",
        "title": "'If you started running, they shot you' - inside Nigeria's growing kidnapping crisis",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/if-you-started-running-they-shot-you-inside-nigerias-growing",
        "published": "2026-08-26T23:11:24.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "‘If you started running, they shot you’ – inside Nigeria’s growing kidnapping crisis",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/if-you-started-running-they-shot-you-inside-nigerias-growing",
        "published": "2026-08-27T12:30:24.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}