Bandits now turn to wedding guests as 55 is kidnapped during a brazen raid in Nigeria

In one of the most recent mass kidnappings, heavily armed bandits kidnapped at least 55 wedding guests in Katsina State, northwest Nigeria. 

The victims were riding in a crowded open canter truck after attending a wedding in Damari, Sabuwa Local Government Area, on Thursday night. Around 9 p.m., gunmen intercepted the vehicle and hijacked it on the road.

Some riders escaped the chaos by jumping from the moving vehicle. However, the vast majority of them were kidnapped and taken to nearby forests. 

According to local officials, three volunteer security personnel were killed during the initial rescue effort. The chairman stated that the majority of the victims were the bride's friends who were on their way home to Dandume when they were intercepted.

In recent years, northwest and central Nigerian states have faced relentless attacks from criminal gangs that raid villages, steal cattle, massacre civilians, and kidnap hundreds at a time for ransom.

This latest wedding kidnapping demonstrates bandits' brazenness, as they take advantage of weak security in rural areas. It also demonstrates that no gathering is safe from possible raids.

Intensified military operations have failed to eradicate the scourge, leaving many concerned that the kidnapping epidemic is spiraling out of control. This massive wedding abduction fuels fears that banditry is becoming increasingly deadly.