Bandits Abduct Two Daughters of Widow in Kaduna Community

Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa

Suspected armed bandits carried out a violent raid on the Maraban Rido community in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State late on Monday night, abducting two young women from their family home in an attack that has further intensified concerns over insecurity in the region. The victims, identified as Deborah Edward, a recently completed National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, and her younger sister, Rachael Edward, were seized in circumstances that underscore the persistent threat of criminal groups targeting civilians in northwest Nigeria. The Kaduna State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement confirming the abduction or any ongoing response. 

According to accounts from local residents and family members, the assailants stormed the compound on Monday night, forcing open the residence and taking control of the situation with guns and threats. Mrs. Alice Edward, the mother of the abducted women, recounted to journalists that the attackers initially seized her two daughters along with a visitor named Priscilla, who had come to spend the night at the family home. Mrs. Edward said she watched helplessly as the bandits whisked her children away into the darkness, leaving the wider community in a state of shock.

Local accounts indicate that the mother’s pleas for the safe return of her children were made all the more desperate by her status as a widow and sole caregiver to the family. After the daughters implored the kidnappers to spare the life of the visitor, the bandits released Priscilla but retained Deborah and Rachael, taking them to an unknown location. The visitor is currently receiving medical treatment in hospital after being severely beaten during the abduction and left for dead by the attackers, according to her recounting of the incident. 

The incident has occurred against a backdrop of escalating insecurity in parts of Kaduna State and across northern Nigeria, where banditry, armed robbery, and kidnappings for ransom have become frequent and deeply destabilising. Just weeks earlier, there were reports of large-scale abductions at worship centres in the Kurmin Wali community, where suspected bandits targeted congregants during religious services, although the exact numbers and confirmation of those earlier claims have been contested by authorities. 

Across Kaduna, residents and civil society stakeholders have voiced growing alarm at the perceived rise in kidnappings and violent attacks, with local communities calling on state and federal security forces to intensify patrols, improve intelligence sharing, and provide better protective measures for vulnerable settlements. These calls reflect a broader pattern of insecurity that has seen bandits exploit remote and poorly secured areas, particularly where access to roads and rapid response units is limited. Analysts note that the porous terrain and dense forested corridors that traverse parts of Kaduna and neighbouring states offer operational advantages to armed groups seeking to evade law enforcement and military patrols.

The kidnappings also have significant socio-economic repercussions for the affected communities. In past incidents, such as the June 2025 abduction in Gidan Waya community in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna, elders reported selling large quantities of farm produce to raise ransom funds demanded by kidnappers. In that case, despite raising substantial money, several abductees remained in captivity for weeks, highlighting the tenuous and often protracted nature of negotiations in such crises. 

For the family of Deborah and Rachael Edward, the trauma is compounded by the violent treatment of the visitor who was released. Priscilla’s account of being repeatedly struck with the butts of guns until losing consciousness illustrates the brutal methods often employed by abductors, who rely on fear and violence to overwhelm victims and deter resistance. That level of brutality has become emblematic of many bandit attacks in the region, leading to deep psychological scars among survivors and escalating community fear. 

Efforts to obtain official confirmation and details from the Kaduna State Police Command have been unsuccessful. Multiple attempts to reach the command’s spokesperson, Mansir Hassan, for comment on the latest abduction, including requests for information on whether security operations have been launched to track the kidnappers and rescue the victims, went unanswered. This lack of immediate communication from law enforcement has frustrated residents and family members seeking clarity and reassurance in the face of the unfolding crisis. 

Insecurity in Kaduna State remains a multifaceted challenge shaped by a combination of weak policing presence in rural areas, limited community defence capabilities, and the presence of loosely organised armed groups who capitalise on local grievances and economic marginalisation. Efforts by state authorities in recent years have included the deployment of additional security personnel to high-risk areas, partnerships with community vigilance groups, and increased collaboration with federal security agencies. Nonetheless, many communities continue to report gaps in protection and delayed responses when attacks occur.

Human rights organisations and civil society groups have consistently urged a more comprehensive strategy that goes beyond reactive military operations. Proposals include investments in community resilience, improved socio-economic opportunities for young people, enhanced intelligence-led operations tailored to local dynamics, and mechanisms for rebuilding trust between residents and security forces. Such strategies are seen as critical to addressing the root causes that allow banditry and kidnapping networks to flourish.

As the search for Deborah and Rachael Edward continues, their abduction underscores the urgent need for sustained and coordinated action to address Nigeria’s broader insecurity crisis. For families like the Edwards, the wait for their safe return is fraught with anxiety, while for the wider community, the latest incident is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of ordinary citizens in regions grappling with armed violence and institutional fragility.

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