More than 16 community members in Sabo village, Murai ward of Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State have been reportedly kidnapped by bandits ravaging the state.

The Guardian gathered that youths from Gidan Matan Aure village have mobilised to protect their village ahead of an attack on neighbouring Sado village.

According to a villager, Muhammad Usman, the operation by the bandits was carried out on Wednesday, November 6, 2025.

It was also learnt that the armed terrorists stormed the Sado community amid heavy surveillance by the local vigilantes from the area.

“The bandits entered the community without notice, the vigilantes worked hard to repel the attack, but the terrorists overpowered them, considering the large number of assailants who stormed the village”, Sado district head, Aliyu Saidu, said

“For now, we confirmed 16 people were kidnapped, comprising women and children, including the elderly. We are not yet certain whether the number of the victims may increase, as all efforts to trace the rest are ongoing.”

One of the sources, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Sado, said that he received a call today concerning the incident and “what just came to my mind was my friend Nasiru, who left my shop earlier last night. I instantly called his number, but there was no response. He has been kidnapped alongside his wife.”

The severe operation was the second in the community since last year, when the first attack occurred, leading to the abduction of the village head, Aliyu Sa’idu, who has been avoiding the area and resettled in Morai due to his past traumatic experience.

Community members are now living in fear as they gather around the village square. Many people were very busy on their phones in anticipation of possible calls from the hostage takers to contact the siblings of the victims.

The community condemned the uncertain situation with the displaced families scattered across neighbourhoods, and the fate of the kidnapped victims.

A relation of one of the kidnapped victims, Umar Rabiu, explained that his elder brother was among those kidnapped today. “We are asking the authorities and government security forces to help us trace and rescue them,” he said.

The community members are now confused as they could not reach out to the kidnapped ones.

This is coming weeks after armed bandits abducted six butchers and animal dealers while returning from Magajin Maitarko market along Dogon Santsi forest in Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Narrating the incident, one of the victims’ close relations, Ishiaku Umar, said that the bandits blocked Gusau – Dansadau road on Friday evening.

He said: “The bandits shut one of them, and the other is now in critical condition. The bandits contacted them through the mobile number of the victim.”