Gunmen kidnap 9 in Nigeria's northwest state: Witnesses

Attackers storm community in convoy of motorcycles

LAGOS, Nigeria

Gunmen have abducted at least nine individuals, including women, in Nigeria's northwest Zamfara state, according to witnesses on Friday.

Around 25 gunmen on motorcycles stormed the Tsohuwar Kasuwa community in Kaura Namoda local government in Zamfara State, firing shots.

"They raided houses and took away nine people, including two women," Suliaman Aliyu, a resident, told Anadolu.

The account was corroborated by community leader Alhaji Ahmed Sani, who noted that the attack lasted approximately 30 minutes.

"They came in a convoy of motorcycles," he said.

The police are yet to issue an official statement on the attack.

Friday's incident occurred just a week after armed men kidnapped 25 female university students from their hostels near the campus in the state. The abductors released the students a few days later.

Bandits in Nigeria often kidnap people for ransom-taking though the university authority in Zamfara did not disclose if it paid money to secure the release of the students.

In north-central Benue State, the government on Wednesday said it did not offer ransom to free the state Commissioner of information, Matthew Abo, who was kidnapped on Sept. 25 in his country home.