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Nigerian soldiers in Kaduna
Photo: Sunday Alamba / dpa
The kidnappings in Nigeria don't stop: Once again, more people have been kidnapped in a series of mass kidnappings in northern Nigeria.
The total of 87 people were abducted on Sunday evening from a village in Kajuru local government area in the northwestern state of Kaduna, said MP Usman Danlami, who represents the district in the state.
In further attacks the week before, Danlami said a total of 75 people were abducted from two villages in Kajuru, days after 287 girls and boys were abducted from a school in neighboring Chikun district.
Despite the deployment of security forces, no hostages have been rescued or those behind the attack arrested.
Armed criminal groups are suspected to be behind the wave of kidnappings in Kaduna.
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In the north and center of Africa's most populous country with more than 220 million inhabitants, both criminal gangs and Islamist terrorist groups repeatedly kidnap people.
Almost exactly ten years ago, in April 2014, the abduction of 276 schoolgirls by the Islamist militia Boko Haram in Chibok in the northeastern state of Borno caused worldwide horror.
Boko Haram and other jihadist groups waging a violent campaign to impose strict Islamic rule in Nigeria often use their kidnappings to make political demands.
The gangs, on the other hand, are more concerned with extorting ransom money or securing the release of their imprisoned members.
Boko Haram is also blamed for another mass kidnapping of more than 200 internally displaced people, mostly women and children, in Borno state in early March.
Shortly afterwards, gunmen attacked an Islamic school in Sokoto state, taking 15 children with them.
mfh/dpa