Series of kidnappings

Another 87 people abducted in Nigeria

A further 87 people have been abducted in a series of mass kidnappings in northern Nigeria. The people were abducted on Sunday evening from a village in Kajuru Local Government Area in the north-western state of Kaduna, a member of parliament representing the district in the state told the German press agency dpa.

In other attacks the week before, a total of 75 people were abducted from two villages in Kajuru, a few days after 287 girls and boys from a school in the neighboring district of Chikun, according to the MP representing the district in Kaduna.

Are criminals behind the wave of kidnappings?
Despite the deployment of security forces, no hostages have yet been freed or those behind the kidnappings arrested. Armed criminal groups are suspected to be behind the wave of kidnappings in Kaduna.

In the north and center of Africa's most populous country with more than 220 million inhabitants, criminal gangs as well as Islamist terrorist groups kidnap people time and again.

Almost exactly ten years ago, in April 2014, the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls by the Islamist militia Boko Haram in Chibok in the north-eastern state of Borno caused worldwide horror.

Ransom, political demands, releases
Boko Haram and other jihadist groups, which are waging a violent campaign to introduce strict Islamic rule in Nigeria, usually want to make political demands with the kidnappings. The gangs, on the other hand, are mostly concerned with extorting ransom money or securing the release of their imprisoned members.

Boko Haram is also held responsible for another mass kidnapping of more than 200 internally displaced persons, mainly women and children, in Borno state at the beginning of March. Shortly afterwards, gunmen attacked an Islamic school in Sokoto State and took 15 children with them.