Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
In a tense and dramatic turn of events in northwest Nigeria, the vice chairman of Tsafe Local Government Area in Zamfara State and 64 other abducted individuals have regained their freedom after being held by armed bandits, according to local security and community sources. The freed captives arrived safely in the town of Tsafe on Tuesday, following sustained efforts by security forces and local leaders to secure their release.
The ordeal began on January 20, when a convoy including top local government officials — among them the vice chairman — and community members was ambushed by suspected bandits in Danjibga village, a volatile area that has witnessed recurrent attacks. The ambush quickly escalated into a fierce gun battle between the assailants and members of the Community Protection Guard (CPG), a local vigilante force mobilised to defend residents against incessant criminal incursions.
Eyewitnesses and security informants reported that one CPG operative and two residents were killed during the violent confrontation, with two others sustaining bullet wounds. The attackers also set ablaze **four vehicles — two Golf cars and two Mitsubishi Canter trucks — destroying critical transport assets used by both officials and villagers.
Following intense negotiations and coordinated efforts by security operatives alongside traditional and civil society stakeholders, the bulk of the abductees, including the Tsafe vice chairman, were released and transported back to their community. Upon arrival, they were taken to the Ahmed Sani Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau, the state capital, for medical evaluation and treatment of injuries sustained during captivity and the ambush. Families and neighbours welcomed them with profound relief and gratitude, even as mourning rituals began for those killed in the clash.
Despite the relief sparked by the release, the crisis is far from over. An unspecified number of women and children remain in the hands of their captors, according to community sources and local stakeholders who have been engaged in ongoing efforts to secure their freedom. Concerns persist over the safety and well-being of those still missing, as well as the devastating impact the violence continues to exert on families and livelihoods across Tsafe and surrounding areas.
The ambush and subsequent release underscore the volatile security landscape in Zamfara State, which has become emblematic of the broader banditry crisis afflicting large parts of northwest Nigeria. Over recent years, heavily armed criminal networks have carried out a series of kidnappings, ambushes and raids targeting civilians, local officials, travellers and security escorts along rural roads and in remote communities. These groups typically operate from dense forests and utilise motorcycles to swiftly strike and retreat, challenging the capacity of conventional security deployments to protect vulnerable populations.
In Danjibga and other neighbouring communities, residents have repeatedly appealed for stronger security presence and intelligence support, arguing that the absence of sustained protection enables bandit groups to move with impunity. The attack on the convoy, which included senior local government representatives, highlights both the audacity of these armed gangs and the precariousness faced by officials and communities striving to recover abducted villagers.
The incident also drew attention to the broader human cost of Nigeria’s banditry crisis. In the surrounding rural spaces, farmers and traders have reported being targeted while travelling to markets or tending farms, with abductions and killings disrupting economic activity and fuelling displacement. Recent reports from other parts of Zamfara have pointed to similar patterns, including hostage rescues by security forces and ongoing skirmishes between armed groups and community protection units.
For the families in Tsafe who have welcomed back loved ones, the return of the freed captives has been a bittersweet moment — a mixture of joy at survival and sorrow for those lost in the violence. Medical staff at the Gusau hospital described attending to the injured with urgency, noting the physical and psychological trauma suffered by many of the returnees. Meanwhile, community leaders have renewed calls for comprehensive responses to the region’s insecurity, urging federal and state authorities to enhance protection measures and deepen engagement with local structures to forestall further attacks.
The broader Nigerian government has faced mounting pressure to address the surge in kidnappings for ransom and bandit attacks that have plagued northwest states, including Zamfara, Kaduna and neighbouring regions. Critics argue that while security operations have at times yielded tactical successes — including the rescue of captives and arrests of suspects — the underlying conditions enabling persistent violence remain inadequately addressed. Analysts highlight the need for improved intelligence capabilities, community policing, and development initiatives to tackle the root causes of banditry, including poverty, marginalisation and limited access to economic opportunities.
At the federal level, officials have repeatedly pledged to intensify operations against bandit groups and reinforce partnerships with state governments, local vigilante groups and traditional institutions. Nevertheless, communities like Tsafe continue to bear the brunt of a conflict that has exacted a heavy toll in lives, assets and peace of mind.
As efforts continue to secure the release of remaining hostages and strengthen security for vulnerable populations, the latest developments are a stark reminder of the complex and deeply rooted challenges facing Nigeria’s northwest. In Tsafe, the relief of reunion is tempered by ongoing fear, grief and the urgent need for lasting solutions to a crisis that shows little sign of abating.
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