Nigeria: at least 47 women reportedly kidnapped by jihadists. A new mass kidnapping was committed on Friday in Borno state, which has been plagued by a jihadist insurgency since 2009.
Kidnappings in Nigeria, often for ransom, are a major problem and affect the entire country. Gangs operate on highways, in victims' homes and even in schools; they operate from bases in the forests of the northwestern and central states of the country. President Bola Tinubu came to power in 2023 promising to tackle insecurity, fueled by jihadist groups, bandits and surging intercommunal violence.