Bandits who kidnapped over 80 people in Wanzamai village, Zamfara state, have finally agreed to release their victims for a ransom of N20,000 each, totaling N1.7 million.
This came after negotiations with the authorities and the understanding that the victims are from poor families. However, the bandits also demanded that the military personnel deployed to Wanzamai village be withdrawn, or else they will continue to kidnap anyone who goes to fetch firewood in the forest.
According to an indigene of the area, Abubakar Na’Allah, the bandits had initially demanded N50 million for the release of the 85 people they had kidnapped, most of whom were women and children who went to the forest to get firewood. But after several negotiations, the bandits reduced the ransom to N20,000 per victim.
The families of the kidnapped victims are currently trying to raise the amount, with many of them selling their belongings to save their loved ones. Na’Allah revealed that his sister’s daughter was among those kidnapped, and the family has launched an appeal fund to raise the money.
The kidnap of the 85 people was a reprisal attack by the bandits whose people were killed in a military raid last Thursday, according to Na’Allah. He explained that the village was warned not to go to the forest last Friday, but unfortunately, some women and children did not heed the warning and were abducted by the bandits who were hiding there. Two of the kidnapped victims were able to escape, while one was killed by the bandits.
The state’s commissioner of security, DIG (retired) Mamman Tsafe, who is also an indigene of Tsafe local government area where the incident happened, has assured the public that the state government will not withdraw the military personnel deployed to Wanzamai village. He stated that the government would not succumb to the pressure by the bandits to change their security plans, saying, “We can’t be intimidated by the bandits.”
The incident highlights the need for improved security measures in the region to curb the activities of bandits and ensure the safety of citizens
