Bandits collect another N3m, fail to release 85 Zamfara abductees

Bandits have collected another N3m from the families of the 85 kidnapped victims of Wanzamai village in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, but still refused to release abductees.

The bandits had collected N3m from the community, promising to release the 85 abductees but reneged on their promise.

An indigene of the village, Abubakar Na,allah, told Saturday PUNCH that the bandits sent a message demanding additional N3m for the final release of the abductees. He said each of the families was asked to pay additional N35,000 in order to raise the N3m.

Na,allah said N2,975,000 was realised and taken to the bandits hoping that they would release the abductees. He, however, lamented that two days after the payment, the victims were yet to be released.

“We paid additional amount of N3m as demanded by the bandits two days ago but unfortunately they refused to release our people. We don’t know what to do now because we have sold almost all our belongings, including farmland. We are calling on the appropriate authorities to please come to our aid and rescue our people who are mostly women and children.”

“We are equally calling on the international community and other non-governmental organisations to help us.”

The state Commissioner for Security, Mamman Tsafe, a retired Police DIG, insisted that the state government would not withdraw the military personnel deployed to Wanzamai village, being a condition given by the bandits to release the abducted persons.