Tension as bandits kidnap 23 Zamfara women, 10 construction workers

Twenty-three women have been kidnapped by bandits in the Damaga district of the Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The women, our correspondent was told, were in a nearby bush gathering firewood on Wednesday afternoon when the bandits, riding on motorcycles, swooped on them, whisking away 23.

An indigene of the area, Mohammed Sani, who spoke to our correspondent about the incident, said, “The women were busy collecting firewood in a nearby bush when the bandits suddenly came out of the forest and took them to their camp.

“We have already informed the police about this issue and we are waiting to hear from the bandits the amount of money they will ask us to pay (as ransom).”

The villager lamented that the kidnap was one too many, noting that villagers continued to pay ransom to bandits now and then.

Meanwhile, bandits also kidnapped 10 officials of Triacta Construction Company in Talata-Mafara, the hometown of former governor Abdulaziz Yari.

An indigene of the town, Ismail Shehu, said the weapon-wielding hoodlums fired many shots in the air before they finally forced themselves into the company and kidnapped 10 of the construction workers.

“They were heavily armed and immediately they arrived on the premises of the company, they started shooting to scare away the residents. They later moved into the company and kidnapped 10 staff members,” he said.

Efforts to get comments from the spokesperson for the state police command, Yazid Abubakar, proved abortive as he could not be reached on his mobile line.

The latest attacks came days after bandits killed seven soldiers during an ambush in Kangon Garacci village of the Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State. No fewer than 10 villagers were also killed.

In a telephone conversation on Thursday, the Press Secretary to Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, Suleiman Idris, said steps were being taken by the state government to end banditry.

Idris said the present administration inherited banditry from the past administration, adding that Lawal was working round the clock to end banditry in the state.

“The governor has met all the security chiefs in Abuja to address the issue of banditry and by the grace of God, it will become history,” he said.