Kidnapping in Nigeria

After over 400 abductions in a week — mostly women and children — Nigeria is again dealing with what some have called" an epidemic of kidnapping."

People gather around an area were gunmen kidnapped school children in Chikun, Nigeria — Image: AP/dpa/picture alliance

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Between July 2022 and June 2023, analysts say more than 3,600 people were abducted in Nigeria. The actual number could be far higher.

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Reports & Analysis

Nigeria: Kidnappings on the rise

Kidnapping in Nigeria has evolved into a security threat that feeds a vast network of criminal and Islamist groups.

Nigerians on brink of hopelessness as mass abductions recur

Who's behind the surge in mass abductions in Nigeria? And is there a prospect for resolving this devastating situation? DW correspondent Waisu Idris reports from Abuja, Nigeria's capital.

Nigeria: Who's behind the kidnappings and what do they want?

Nigeria is one of the world's kidnapping hot spots. DW explains who carries out the abductions and who the victims are.

Gunmen kidnap hundreds of students at Nigeria school

Kidnappings for ransom are common in the region, where hundreds have been abducted in recent years.

Nigeria: Gunmen kidnap 15 more students in another abduction

The pupils were snatched from an Islamic school in the northwest, where gunmen have adopted the tactic to get ransoms.

Nigerians demand state help to free their kids

The government claims to have initiated a search following the abduction of more than 280 children in northwest Nigeria.

Nigeria: Gunmen kidnap more than 280 school students

Abductions for a ransom are frequent in Africa's most populous country.

Nearly 50 women kidnapped in Nigeria's Borno

The kidnappings occurred in a remote area in northeastern Nigeria, where Islamic State West Africa Province is active.

Nigeria's female students targeted in kidnapping spree

Nigeria's female students have become main targets for kidnappers due to the perception that they fetch higher ransoms.

Nigeria: Kidnappings in Abuja spark new fears

The latest spate of kidnappings in Abuja is a source of worry to many residents who are demanding for action.

Can Nigeria's community vigilantes combat bandit gangs?

With lingering security problems in northern Nigeria, states have been forced to come up with community-based programs.

Nigeria: 100 kidnapped villagers released by bandits

The Nigerian authorities had reportedly negotiated with heavily armed gangs to secure the release of the villagers.

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