Gunmen kidnap more than 100 in Nigeria

Gangs forcibly removed more than dozens of people from their homes at gunpoint in northwest Nigeria over the weekend. They attacked two communities in the state of Kaduna: Dogon Noma and Kajuru-Station. At least five victims escaped. The attacks came less than two weeks after other mass kidnappings. In Borno, armed insurgents possibly linked to the Islamic jihadist organization Boko Haram seized more than 200 displaced people who were gathering firewood. Another mass kidnapping also took place in the state of Kaduna. In that case, investigators say armed men kidnapped nearly 300 students from a school.

What is the U.S. State Department saying?  The agency advises U.S. citizens to reconsider travel to Nigeria because of terrorism, kidnapping, and armed gangs. They are specifically urged to avoid Kaduna, among other areas, due to the potential for kidnapping. It recommends that those who do choose to travel to Nigeria establish a proof-of-life plan with loved ones in the event the traveler is taken hostage. In such an event, loved ones would know predetermined questions to give the hostage takers to ask the traveler. They would also know predetermined answers which, if given, would establish that the kidnapped traveler is still alive.

Dig deeper: Listen to Onize Ohikere’s report on The World and Everything In It podcast about the kidnapping of Nigerian school children.