Gunmen have abducted over 100 people, including women and children, from four Zamfara State communities.
The incident occurred on Sunday during a raid by bandits.
No fewer than 40 people were abducted from Kanwa village in Zurmi Local Government Area.
At least 37 were taken away from the Kwabre community.
Another 38 farmers were kidnapped from the Yankaba and Gidan Goga communities of the Maradun Local Government Area.
Zamfara Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Dosara, confirmed the abductions.
In Kaduna State, the police said 76 kidnap victims were rescued by security operatives in Giwa Local Government Area.
Police spokesperson, Muhammad Jalige, a deputy superintendent of police, said in a statement that the victims were passengers from Sabon Birni in Sokoto State.
Jalige said the police in Giwa received reports last Friday that a large number of bandits blocked a section of Funtua-Zaria Road in the Gulbala area of Giwa and abducted many commuters.
The joint security team, he said, found an open Ford truck with registration number APP 667 XG, from which a large number of passengers had been abducted.
He said a search and rescue operation was launched.
“In the process of this, the bandits were encountered and by the sheer force of firepower pressure mounted on them by the security operatives, they were left with no option than to abort their nefarious mission and take to flight with injuries,” he said.
Jalige said the operatives rescued 76 passengers.
