Kidnapping for ransom has become rife in the North-west in recent years with bandits targeting villages, schools, and travellers
In a coordinated attack late on Friday, armed assailants on dozens of motorcycles targeted four villages in Zamfara State, abducting at least 150 people, including women and children.
One person was reported dead during the attack on Mutunji, Kwanar-Dutse, Sabon-Garin Mahuta, and Unguwar Kawo in the Maru Local Government Area.
The residents revealed that the assailants demanded N100 million as retribution after Nigerian troops killed four of their men.
Kidnapping for ransom has surged in the North-west, with bandits targeting villages, schools, and travelers, making road travel and farming unsafe in some areas.
The state police command spokesperson has not yet commented on the incident.
Nigeria is facing escalating security challenges, including an enduring Islamist insurgency in the North-east, separatist violence in the South-east, and frequent clashes between farmers and herders in the central region.