MAIDUGURI: At least 13 onion farmers have been kidnapped in the restive northeastern Nigeria, the latest bout of abductions rocking the country, a local government official said Saturday (Dec 6).
Nigeria has been wracked by a wave of kidnappings in recent weeks, including the capture of over 300 school children two weeks ago that shook Africa’s violence-weary most populous country.
The spike in abductions saw President Bola Tinubu declare a security emergency – allowing for the recruitment of tens of thousands more police and military personnel.
Around midnight (2300 GMT) “unknown gunmen stormed Malari village … and abducted fourteen onion farmers”, Konduga local government chairman, Abba Abbari told AFP, adding one of the victims later escaped.
The farmers had stayed overnight in the fields to water crops and watch over cattle when they were seized.
