Armed bandits operating in Gidan-Goga village, Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State, have refused to accept a N3 million ransom offered for the release of 26 abducted residents. This information was revealed by Abubakar Shehu, a local resident and father of three girls among those kidnapped.
In a phone interview with PUNCH, Shehu clarified that 26 individuals, not 50 as previously reported, were taken during the attack. Among them are 19 women and six men. Shehu painfully recounted that one of his daughters was set to be married soon before she was taken.
“We raised N3m to offer to the bandits, but they rejected it,” Shehu stated. “When we informed their leader about the amount, he dismissed us, saying we were not serious, and then switched off his phone. Since then, we have been unable to reach him.”
According to Shehu, the attackers stormed the community on Sunday, capturing their neighbors and leaving the village in distress. Although the bandits demanded payment for the release of the captives, they did not specify the amount they expected.
The affected village has long been plagued by repeated bandit attacks, leaving many residents terrified and forcing others to flee. Shehu revealed that despite alerting local security forces about the situation, no action has been taken. “This is not the first time our village has been attacked,” he added.
