The African Union strongly condemned the latest deadly assault in Nigeria’s northwest, describing the attacks in Zamfara State as a “heinous act of terrorism” and urged a coordinated and collective action from authorities to protect civilian populations.
In a statement issued on behalf of the continental body, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, denounced the 21 February 2026 attacks in Zamfara State that left more than 50 civilians dead and several women and children abducted.
“The AU calls for the immediate, safe, and unconditional release of all abducted women and children and urges strengthened, coordinated, and collective action to protect civilian populations and prevent the recurrence of such atrocities,” the statement read.
According to local officials, armed men stormed Tungan Dutse village in Bukkuyum Local Government Area on Thursday evening, attacking residents from about 5 p.m. until the early hours of Friday.
Deepening security challenges
The northwest has, for years, grappled with armed banditry, mass kidnappings for ransom, and village raids, while other parts of the country face insurgency in the northeast.
separatist tensions in the southeast and communal clashes in central regions.
The assailants in Zamfara burnt homes and opened fire on villagers attempting to flee. Hamisu A. Faru, the lawmaker representing Bukkuyum South, told Reuters that at least 50 people were killed.
The AU said it “unequivocally rejects all acts of terrorism and violent extremism against civilian populations, particularly women and children,” calling the killings and abductions serious violations of human rights and a direct assault on peace and stability in the region.
Youssouf expressed the Union’s full solidarity with the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, offering condolences to bereaved families and wishing a speedy recovery to those injured.
Despite intensified military operations and government pledges to restore order, rural communities in states such as Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina remain vulnerable to heavily armed groups.
Lawmakers and civil society groups have repeatedly called for improved intelligence gathering and better protection for remote communities.
The AU’s condemnation places the Zamfara killings within a broader continental concern
over violent extremism and insecurity in parts of Africa. The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to restore lasting peace.
