Bandits kidnap 5 foreign nationals in Zamfara gold mining site
Five Foreign Nationals Abducted in Zamfara Gold Mining Site
Arafa, Zamfara State — At least five foreign nationals have been abducted by armed bandits while working at a gold mining site near Arafa village in the Maru Local Government Area. The incident occurred around 11:15 a.m. on March 14, when a group of heavily armed assailants, reportedly harboring between Arafa and Gidan Dankande villages, stormed the mining location.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency and security expert in the Lake Chad region, the bandits swiftly took the workers to an undisclosed location before vanishing into the nearby bush. Security personnel from the Operation FANSAN YAMMA base were deployed, but by the time they arrived, the assailants had already escaped.
Efforts are underway to locate the bandits and secure the safe return of the abducted individuals. Security forces are actively searching the area for intelligence regarding their whereabouts.
This incident highlights the troubling connection between illegal mining and armed banditry in Zamfara State. The region’s natural resources, including gold, copper, and lithium, have attracted both legitimate investments and violent criminal activities, complicating the security landscape.
