Bandits have reportedly killed 38 kidnapped residents of Banga village in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State after collecting over ₦50 million as ransom from them.
Thefrontrank reports that the brutal killing has thrown the entire community into mourning.
The Chairman of Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area, Mannir Haidara Kaura, who confirmed to journalists, said 56 persons were reportedly abducted from the village, and 18 were later released.
Said he: “From the information I got as the Chairman of the local government, 56 were abducted by the bandits and only 18 returned.
“We took the remaining 18 people to hospital, they are on medication. We are also preparing to go with the state government to go and see the families of those that lost their lives.”
A resident of the village, Ibrahim Banga, explained that the bandits invaded the community months ago and abducted 53 people.
He disclosed that the kidnappers demanded ₦1 million per hostage, and after several weeks of efforts, the community managed to raise and deliver the sum.
“Upon their return, the freed victims recounted how the bandits had slaughtered the remaining 35 abductees, killing them one after the other during their captivity,” he said.
He appealed to both the federal and Zamfara State governments to urgently extend military operations to the area, which he said would help restore peace, facilitate the return of displaced persons, and rescue those still held by the criminals.
