Afət Ziyadqızı
An armed group attacked civilians and security forces in Nigeria’s northwestern Zamfara State. According to Nigerian media reports, the gunmen targeted a convoy of civilian traders travelling along the Gurusu-Gwashi highway to a weekly regional market.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the convoy was travelling under military escort to protect the civilians. The ambush killed 27 people, including military personnel and law enforcement officers, while many others sustained injuries of varying severity.
The Zamfara State Police Command officially confirmed the incident and said it had launched a large-scale operation and investigation to apprehend the attackers and establish the circumstances of the attack.
Nigeria’s northern and central states have long faced attacks by organized armed criminal groups as well as extremist organizations such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Although Nigerian law provides for the death penalty for kidnapping, abductions for ransom remain a serious problem. Armed groups continue to target strategic transport routes, communities and educational institutions, taking civilians hostage.
