Bandits have abducted at least five foreign nationals from Burkina Faso at a gold mining site near Arafa village in the Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The incident was disclosed in a post on X by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency and security analyst covering the Lake Chad region.
According to the report, the attack occurred around 11:15 a.m. on March 14 when a large group of bandits, believed to have been hiding between Arafa and Gidan Dankande villages, stormed the mining site and forcefully whisked away the workers to an unknown destination.
The attackers, who were heavily armed, reportedly fled into the surrounding forest before security personnel from a nearby Operation FANSAN YAMMA base could arrive at the scene.
By the time the troops got to the area, the bandits had already escaped into the bush with the abducted victims.
The source added that security operatives have begun efforts to trace the kidnappers and secure the safe release of the foreign workers, with forces currently combing the area for intelligence that could lead to their rescue.
The incident again highlights the growing link between illegal mining activities and armed banditry in Zamfara State.
Over the years, the Northwest’s rich mineral deposits—including gold, copper, and lithium—have attracted both legitimate investors and criminal groups, who often exploit the resources to fund violent operations.
