Ten persons abducted by bandits in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State have been released following a local peace agreement reached with the criminal group.
The victims were reportedly freed without the payment of ransom after the intervention of the council chairman, Hon. Muntari Abdullahi City.
The chairman was said to have led a delegation to the bandits’ hideout to negotiate the release of the captives.
The development was disclosed in a post shared on X on Tuesday by security analyst, Zagazola Makama.
The post indicated that the release was part of ongoing grassroots efforts aimed at negotiating peace with bandit groups operating in the area.
Photographs accompanying the post showed the council chairman riding a motorcycle alongside some of the bandits during the engagement.
“Ten people abducted by bandits in Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State, have regained their freedom. The council chairman, Hon. Muntari Abdullahi City, led a delegation to the bandits hideout to secure their release reportedly without ransom following a local peace agreement.
“The key question are: How durable is this peace?, What does it mean for nearby communities, especially across the border in Kano State?,” Bakatsine asked.
As of the time of filing this report, relevant security authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.