Tragedy struck Banga village in the Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State as suspected bandits reportedly killed 35 kidnapped victims who failed to pay a ransom demanded for their release.
The victims were among 53 villagers abducted several months ago, with their captors demanding N1 million per person — amounting to a total of N53 million.
Only 18 of the hostages who were able to meet the demand were released, while the remaining 35 were allegedly executed.
A resident of the village, Sani Suleiman, confirmed the incident to PUNCH Online during a phone interview on Sunday.
He said the released captives recounted how the bandits slaughtered the rest of the victims in their presence.
“Those who paid the ransom and regained freedom told us that the bandits killed the remaining 35 hostages, one after the other, before their very eyes,” Suleiman said.
He added that Banga village remains under the control of the bandits, with locals living in fear of further violence.
He appealed to the Zamfara State Government to intervene urgently and deploy security personnel to the area to prevent a mass exodus of residents.
Reacting to the incident, the Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Dauda Lawal, Ahmed Danmanga, confirmed the killings but said the exact number of casualties was yet to be verified.
“I am aware that some residents of Banga village were killed by bandits, but I cannot confirm the precise number at this time,” Danmanga stated.
He added that mobile police units had been deployed to the area to forestall further attacks, stressing that the state government remained committed to protecting lives and property.
“Zamfara State Government is working tirelessly to curb the menace of banditry, but our efforts are being hampered by the limited number of security personnel,” he added.
The latest killings add to the rising toll of victims in Zamfara State, where rural communities continue to suffer repeated attacks from heavily armed criminal gangs.