The Gidan Waya community in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State has released photographs of 12 residents abducted by armed bandits during a deadly attack last week.
Community leaders confirmed that the assault left four people dead and several others injured, deepening fears among residents who say they remain at the mercy of heavily armed criminal gangs.
Among those abducted are an ECWA Church Reverend, a minor, six women, and three young men, according to a statement issued by the community. The victims remain in captivity, and locals are appealing urgently to authorities and security agencies to secure their safe return.
Days earlier, global human rights organisation Amnesty International condemned the attack, which occurred on the night of 11 November 2025, describing it as another example of the Nigerian government’s failure to protect citizens from relentless violence in the northern region.
In a strongly worded statement, Amnesty International disclosed that the abducted victims include children aged 13, 14, and 15, calling the situation a “stunning failure of the Nigerian authorities to protect lives and ensure accountability for human rights crimes.”
“Since 2016, rural communities in parts of northern Nigeria have been living at the mercy of gunmen. The violence has forced many farmers and their families to flee their homes.”
The rights group noted that attacks and mass abductions have escalated sharply in the North-West and North-Central regions, with communities in Plateau, Zamfara, southern Kaduna, Benue, and Katsina among the worst affected.
The latest abduction in Gidan Waya adds to the growing list of violent raids carried out by armed groups who have continued to terrorise rural populations despite increased military deployments in the region.
Residents say that unless immediate action is taken, bandits will continue to operate unchecked—fueling displacement, hunger, and fear.
Security agencies have yet to issue an official statement on the incident, while families of the abducted victims continue to wait anxiously for news of their loved ones.