47 community elders who were kidnapped victims of a bandit group have regain freedom following a collection of ransom by the kidnap perpetrators in Zamfara State.
The abductors, after collecting the sum of N35 million from the families of the abductees, initiated their release, the freed individuals now back in their respective residence.
The elders who were initially fifty were reduced to Forty-seven after three of them died while in the captivity of the bandits, as relayed by a security analyst on Thursday.
Recall that The Guild had reported that the elders from Magamin Diddi community in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara were held captive in early June.
They had embarked on a mission aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to persistent attacks on their community.
The elders had sought dialogue with the bandits in an effort to secure a negotiated settlement and improve security in their area; however, the bandits took them hostage instead.
Meanwhile, as of the time of filing this report, neither the Zamfara State Government nor the police had issued an official statement on the elders’ release, the alleged ransom payment, or the deaths of three of the elders.