Gunmen abduct 85 civilians in NW Nigeria: official

LAGOS - Nigerian authorities said on Saturday that 85 people were abducted by gunmen suspected to be bandits in a village in the northwest state of Zamfara on Thursday.

This was announced in a brief statement by Abdulmalik Saidu Maibiredi, media assistant to the governor.

The victims, mostly children and women, were abducted on Thursday at Wanzamai village in the Tsafe local government area of the state.

Abductions have been frequent in the state for many years.