Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 07:56 am
The authorities from northwest Nigeria freed 100 women and children. These were mainly mothers nursing infants who were seized by bandits. This group was abducted last month in June from Zamfara state. In the unfortunate incident, four people were killed.
The state government of Zamfara mentioned that they were released without any ransom being paid. Now that they are freed, every person from the group will be given medical checks and debriefed before they return to their homes.
There has been a surge in kidnapping cases in December 2020. More than 1,000 people have been abducted but many have been killed also in these incidents. Mohammed Shehu, who is a spokesman for Zamfara state police, mentioned the release was unconditional and that it had been secured without giving any financial or material gain to the gang. The group, including women and children, had been brought to a forest hideout after these bandits stormed Manawa village in June.
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An anonymous source said that 24 other people were still to be evacuated from the forest due to their health condition as many were wounded. The official told many Nigerians to believe that amnesty has not worked, and it’s not working, because many bandits have abandoned arms, have taken them again against the state and continued their kidnapping.
Surprisingly, Northwest and Nigeria have fallen prey to gangs of cattle thieves and kidnappers who raid villages, killing and kidnapping residents in addition to stealing livestock after looting and burning homes.
These criminals have begun to focus on raiding schools and kidnapping students for ransom. Hostages are usually released after ransom payment, with those whose families fail to pay often being killed by the captors. Authorities have blamed the incidents on bandits, a loose term for kidnappers, armed robbers, cattle rustlers and other armed militia operating in the region who are largely motivated by money.
This week itself, during a raid against a criminal gang, a Nigerian air force plane was shot down on the border of Zamfara and Kaduna states. The pilot survived the attack by ejecting from the plane and fleeing to safety.
