A pregnant woman who was abducted by armed bandits in the Nahuche Community of Zamfara State, reportedly went into labour and delivered her baby while being taken into the forest, yet her captors refused to release her, deepening anguish in the community.

The woman was among more than 20 women and four men abducted when gunmen invaded Nahuche, in Bungudu Local Government Area late at night.

Residents said some of the victims were nursing mothers who were abducted with babies fastened to their backs at the time of the incident.

A resident told BBC Hausa that the attackers stormed the community at about 1 a.m., moving from house to house and whisking away residents before anyone could raise an alarm.

“What has shocked us most is that one of the pregnant women gave birth on the way to the forest,” the resident said. “Despite her condition and the newborn baby, the bandits still took her along instead of allowing her to return home. It shows total lack of mercy.”

According to the resident who spoke on condition of anonymity, more than 20 women were taken, alongside four men, but the exact number of babies involved remains unclear, as several of the abducted women were carrying infants.

The latest abduction has plunged the community into mourning and fear, coming after what residents described as a brief period of relative calm.

Many said they were beginning to hope the worst was over, only for the fresh attack to shatter that sense of relief.

Zamfara State has become one of the epicentres of banditry in recent years, marked by mass abductions, deadly raids on villages, and widespread displacement.

Despite repeated military operations and security interventions, rural communities continue to bear the brunt of the violence. (LEADERSHIP, but headline rejigged)