Gunmen in Nigeria kidnap at least 87 people in new attack
Al JazeeraMar 18
Nigeria: Gunmen Kidnap 100 People in New Attacks
The Facts
Gunmen attacked two villages in northwest Nigeria over the weekend and kidnapped about 100 people, including women and children. Security forces were deployed to rescue the Kajuru villagers, local police said.
The abductions occurred in Kaduna state’s Kajuru council area, with 14 women abducted from the Dogon Noma community early Saturday, and 87 people taken from the Kajuru-Station community on Sunday night, local officials said.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
President Tinubu and his administration have failed Nigeria. Although he pledged to address the violence in the country, kidnappings have continued, even becoming a weekly occurrence. Instead of negotiating with these kidnappers in order to ensure the safe return of these civilians, many of whom are women and children, the President has instituted an ineffective ban on ransom payments.
Pro-establishment narrative
The Nigerian government is doing all it can to ensure the safe release of all those abducted from the northwestern regions of the country. While the kidnappers are seeking ransoms, such payments would do nothing but incentivize future abductions. Security forces and government authorities will work hard to make sure all those taken can return home.
Nerd narrative
There's a 6% chance that Nigeria will have a coup before 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.