In a daring move, kidnappers in Zamfara state have slashed the ransom sum they earlier demanded the release of 85 kidnapped individuals from N50 million to a mere N20,000 each, amounting to a total of N1.7 million.
The victims, mostly women and children, were abducted by the bandits while gathering firewood in the forest near Wanzamai village.
According to Abubakar Na’allah, a resident of the village, negotiations with the kidnappers led to the reduction of the ransom fee, as they came to understand that the families of the victims were mostly poor.
However, the kidnappers have issued a threat that they would continue to kidnap more people if the military personnel deployed to the village were not withdrawn.
“The families of the kidnapped victims were currently trying to pay the money, lamenting that many of them have to sell their belongings in order to raise the amount,” said Na’allah.
He further disclosed that they have launched an appeal fund to raise the required amount and save the life of his sister’s daughter, who was among those kidnapped.
Na’allah revealed that the abduction was a reprisal attack by the bandits, whose people were killed in a raid by the military on their camp last Thursday.
“The people of the village were told not to go to the forest last Friday because of the fear that the bandits might attack them, but unfortunately, some women and children did not heed the warning,” he explained. Out of the 85 kidnapped victims, two were able to escape, while one was killed by the bandits.
In response to the threat by the kidnappers, the Commissioner of Security, DIG (retired) Mamman Tsafe, stated that the state government would not be intimidated by the bandits to withdraw the military personnel deployed to Wanzamai village.
“We will not withdraw the military personnel attached to Wanzamai village no matter the pressure by the bandits,” he emphasized.
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