Nigeria is grappling with a severe security crisis marked by a rising wave of mass abductions, with a recent incident involving the kidnapping of 13 women and a baby during an overnight raid in the village of Chacho in Sokoto State. Among those taken between Saturday night and Sunday morning were a bride and ten of her bridesmaids, who were observing the region’s traditional custom of spending the first night of married life in the bride’s new home.

This latest mass abduction is part of a troubling pattern that has increasingly defined life in parts of the West African nation. In recent weeks, hundreds of people have been kidnapped across Nigeria by jihadist groups and criminal gangs known locally as “bandits.” The spiraling violence has intensified pressure on the Nigerian government, prompting President Bola Tinubu to declare a nationwide emergency in an effort to contain the growing unrest.

The crisis has also drawn significant international attention, with former U.S. President Donald Trump issuing a controversial warning of possible military intervention in Nigeria. He condemned what he described as the killing of Christians by radical Islamist groups, further amplifying global scrutiny.

This is not the first time Chacho village has been targeted. In October, 13 residents were abducted, and their release was reportedly secured after ransom payments. A new Nigerian intelligence report confirmed the most recent attack and revealed a sharp rise in bandit-led abductions in Sokoto during November, the highest recorded in the past year.

The report also suggests that informal agreements made by some neighboring states with bandit groups, intended to reduce attacks within their territories, may be inadvertently fueling the crisis in Sokoto. Security experts frequently criticize these deals, arguing that they enable gangs to consolidate hideouts, evade military pressure, and shift their operations into areas with weaker security presence. This displacement effect has contributed to a surge in mass kidnappings for ransom in regions like Sokoto.

Nigeria’s abduction crisis escalated dramatically after the infamous 2014 Boko Haram kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, an incident that drew worldwide condemnation. Since then, kidnapping has evolved into a pervasive national threat. In addition to jihadist activities, bandit gangs continue to terrorize vast areas of northwest and central Nigeria, carrying out kidnappings for ransom, attacking villages, killing residents, and looting or burning homes.