A group of bandits has kidnapped 10 residents of Moriki community in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, demanding a ransom of N50 million.
The attack occurred on Wednesday night, August 21, 2024, when the bandits stormed the community. According to a local resident who spoke to the BBC Hausa Service on Thursday, the bandits had previously targeted the community, kidnapping other residents and disturbing the peace.
The resident explained that the bandits had accused the community’s commander of killing their cows, which prompted the recent attack. “They went from house to house, selecting our people and giving us a deadline to pay the N50 million ransom,” he said.
The resident further revealed that the bandits had a history of terrorizing the community for financial gain. “Not long ago, they collected N20 million from community members to allow us access our farms. Our community is far from secure,” he added.
The spokesman of the Zamfara State Police Command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the incident and stated that the Commissioner of Police had instructed officers to immediately launch a rescue operation to free the kidnapped victims.
