Two twin sisters, who were abducted 25 days ago by gunmen in Dauran village of Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara, have been returned to their family, the Police in the state have confirmed.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Mohammed Shehu, confirmed the twins return on Sunday, saying the victims were being debriefed by the command in Gusau.

The two girls who came home from the state capital, Gusau, to distribute their wedding cards and make other wedding plans, were abducted by gunmen along with four others, including their pregnant elder sister, Rukayya, who is still in captivity.

Their abductors demanded an initial ransom of N150m from the relatives of the girls whose father reportedly died recently shortly after his retirement from the state civil service.

The abductors later reduced the ransom to N15m, which made their brother-in-law to launch a fundraiser for them.

A close associate of the family, who preferred anonymity, said that the money was raised and taken to the bandits on Saturday at a location they gave, about 20 kilometres from Dumburum village.

The location is one of the notorious areas of operations of the bandits in the same Zurmi local government area.

“The gunmen, numbering over 100, each one carrying an AK-47 rifle, surrounded those who brought the money.

“The person who seemed to be their leader threw sand on the two bags containing the money, jumped and made some incantations, then asked his boys to take the money away.

“Then came a bus in high speed, which brought the two girls, while the four people who brought the money were told to go with the girls without looking back,” the family associate said.

Meanwhile, the remaining victims, including the twins’ pregnant sister, have not been released.

Also, when contacted, the chairman of Zurmi Local Government, Dr. Auwal Bawa, said that he would not say anything to journalists over the matter until he obtains permission from the state governor.

The Acting Information Officer, Operation Sharan Daji, Maj. Clement Abiade, said,

“The bandits no longer have options than to release those in their custody because of the joint security operation taking place, which does not give them chance to operate.”

(NAN)