At least 50 people were killed, and an unknown number of women and children were abducted when armed men attacked Tungan Dutse village in Zamfara state, northwestern Nigeria, on Thursday evening.

According to Reuters, the attackers arrived in large numbers and raided the village from about 5:00 pm until around 3:30 am on Friday, burning homes and shooting at residents who attempted to flee.

Hamisu A. Faru, a lawmaker representing Bukkuyum South constituency in Zamfara, told Reuters that the assailants moved from one village to another during the assault, leaving at least 50 people dead. He said authorities were still verifying the number of women and children taken during the raid, as traditional leaders and local officials continued to account for the missing.

A police spokesperson in Zamfara did not immediately respond to requests for comment, Reuters reported.

A resident of Tungan Dutse, Abdullahi Sani, said three of his family members were killed in the attack. He added that community members had earlier alerted security agencies after spotting more than 150 motorcycles carrying armed men approaching the area, but no immediate intervention followed.

The attack highlights Nigeria’s deepening security crisis, particularly in the northwest, where armed criminal groups, commonly referred to as bandits, have intensified raids on rural communities. These groups frequently carry out mass kidnappings for ransom, cattle rustling and deadly assaults, forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes.

In recent years, Zamfara state has been among the hardest hit by such violence, with repeated attacks overwhelming local communities and stretching security resources. The federal government has pledged to restore order, but residents say raids continue despite military deployments in parts of the region.

Authorities were still assessing the full extent of casualties and abductions at the time of reporting.