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Gunmen killed 10 people and kidnapped at least 160 others from a village in central Nigeria this week, the latest abductions that human rights groups say underscore the deteriorating security situation in the West African country, the BBC reported Monday.
Local officials said a large number of armed men entered the village of Kuchi in the Niger state over the weekend. Most of the kidnapped individuals were women and children, while the casualties included local hunters who were providing security for the area.
The gunmen are suspected to be members of the Islamist group Boko Haram. They reportedly had time to cook, drink tea and loot houses before leaving the village two hours later.
Niger state has experienced an increasing number of attacks in recent years, although it is unclear if all the attacks are led by jihadist groups.
Amnesty International blamed Nigerian authorities for failing to prevent the Kuchi invasion.
The advocacy group explained that the village has faced constant attacks since 2021, with gunmen sexually assaulting women and girls, as well as demanding high ransoms for those kidnapped.
They called on security forces to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“Frequent mass abductions and killings are clear evidence of the failure of authorities to protect the people,” it added.
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