Tension continues to mount in Gidan-Goga village, Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State, as bandits have refused a N3 million ransom offer for the release of 26 abducted residents.
The victims, including 19 females and six males, were seized during a Sunday attack on the community.
Among them is a young woman preparing for her wedding, adding to the anguish of families.
According to the PUNCH, a resident whose three daughters are among the abductees, Abubakar Shehu, revealed that the bandits dismissed the ransom offer as inadequate.
“We raised N3 million to offer to the bandits, but they rejected it,” Shehu said. “Their leader said we were not serious and switched off his phone. Since then, we’ve been unable to contact them.”
The attack, one of many on Gidan-Goga, has left the community in fear. According to Shehu, the bandits operate from a camp near the village, posing a persistent threat. Despite repeated reports to security agencies, no tangible action has been taken.
“This is not the first time our village has been attacked. We reported to the security personnel in the local government, but nothing has been done,” he lamented.
The repeated assaults have forced many residents to flee the area, leaving behind only those without alternatives.
Efforts to reach Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Shehu Dalijan, for comments were unsuccessful, as calls to his phone went unanswered.
