Terrorists Release Over 70 Residents In Zamfara State, 11 Others Remain In Captivity

Terrorists, locally dubbed as bandits, have finally released 74 out of the 85 kidnapped victims of Wanzamai village in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State. An indigene of the area, Abubakar Na,allah, narrated that 74 victims were released last Friday night, adding that the remaining 11 persons were still not seen. He said, The bandits have released 74 victims out of the 85 they had kidnapped.

We are yet to see the remaining 11 persons and we don’t know what happened to them. The victims were kidnapped three weeks ago on farmlands. They are mostly residents of Wanzamai, a community that had suffered series of bandits’ incursions in the past. While the children went to the bush to fetch firewood, the other adults were kidnapped on farmlands when they went for land clearing in preparation for this year’s cropping season.

There are also women among the victims. The armed men had agreed to release the children after N6 million ransom was paid to them. Earlier, they refused to free the captives after N3 million was paid. They demanded that two brand new motorbikes must be bought for them. The armed criminals shot dead two teenagers trying to escape. The released children are looking pale and fatigued.

There are about 15 children still with them and we don’t know the reason for holding them. Some parents cried when they saw the terrible condition of their children. They look emaciated because of starvation and hunger. The freed victims are currently receiving medical attention, the resident said.

The spokesman of the state police command, CSP Muhammad Shehu, could not be reached forTerrorists, locally dubbed as bandits, have finally released 74 out of the 85 kidnapped victims of Wanzamai village in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.