Kidnapped 55-year-old woman, two others regain freedom in Sokoto

Sokoto State Government on Saturday confirmed the release of a 55-year-old woman, Inno Abubakar-Moriki and two other kidnapped victims, as parts of ongoing negotiation between government and bandits operating in the state.

Malam Aminu Abubakar, Director of Press to the state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Manniru Dan’iya, made this known in a statement in Sokoto.

Abubakar said Abubakar-Moriki was abducted from Moriki Local Government Area of Zamfara while the two others, Halima Muhammad, 50, and Lawali Musa, 13, were from Isa Local Government of Sokoto State.

He said the state Commissioner for Careers and Security, Col. Garba Moyi (rtd), handed over the victims to the deputy governor.

He said the victims were kidnapped for a month and were released without payment of any ransom.

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The spokesman explained that the state administration was determined to rescue all victims currently in captivity and to ensure lasting peace in the state.

He noted that the negotiation process was yielding dividends especially with no fewer than 20 persons have so far been rescued from the bandits.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this was the fourth batch of abducted persons released by bandits in the state.

Governors in the North-west on Thursday resolved at a meeting in Katsina to enter into dialogue with bandits operating in the zone to restore peace and ensure the release of all those kidnapped by bandits.