Kidnappers in Nigeria have killed at least 35 people they abducted from a village in northern Zamfara state despite ransoms being paid for their release, a local official told the BBC.In recent years, criminal gangs in the region, known in the country as bandits, have taken to kidnapping people as a means to raise money.In this incident, 56 people were taken from Banga village, Kauran Namoda local government area in March The gunmen then demanded a ransom of one million naira ($655; £485) per captive, media in Nigeria report.Local government chairman Manniru Haidara Kaura said that most of those killed were young people who “were slaughtered like rams” Kidnappers in Nigeria have killed at least 35 people they abducted from a village in northern Zamfara state despite ransoms being paid for their release, a local official told the BBC In recent years, criminal gangs in the region, known in the country as bandits, have taken to kidnapping people as a means to raise money
In this incident, 56 people were taken from Banga village, Kauran Namoda local government area in March The gunmen then demanded a ransom of one million naira ($655; £485) per captive, media in Nigeria report Local government chairman Manniru Haidara Kaura said that most of those killed were young people who “were slaughtered like rams” “What happened was that the bandits demanded ransom money, and after some back-and-forth, they were given what they asked for
They then released 18 people, including 17 women and one young boy, on Saturday,” Haidara added.“Only they [the gunmen] know why they killed them They are senseless and heartless people They forget that they are killing their own brothers, and we will all meet before Allah.”Sixteen of those released on Saturday are in the hospital receiving treatment, while the bodies of the 38 killed by the bandits are unlikely to be returned as in these cases corpses are rarely released.In an attempt to curb the spiralling and lucrative kidnapping industry, a law was enacted in 2022 making it a crime to make ransom payments It carries a jail sentence of at least 15 years, however no-one has ever been arrested on those charges.It also made abduction punishable by death in cases where victims die.But families often feel forced to pay to save their loved ones, citing the government’s inability to ensure their safety
“What happened was that the bandits demanded ransom money, and after some back-and-forth, they were given what they asked for They then released 18 people, including 17 women and one young boy, on Saturday,” Haidara added “Only they [the gunmen] know why they killed them They are senseless and heartless people
They forget that they are killing their own brothers, and we will all meet before Allah.”
Sixteen of those released on Saturday are in the hospital receiving treatment, while the bodies of the 38 killed by the bandits are unlikely to be returned as in these cases corpses are rarely released In an attempt to curb the spiralling and lucrative kidnapping industry, a law was enacted in 2022 making it a crime to make ransom payments It carries a jail sentence of at least 15 years, however no-one has ever been arrested on those charges It also made abduction punishable by death in cases where victims die
But families often feel forced to pay to save their loved ones, citing the government’s inability to ensure their safety Source: NewZimbabwe
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Source: Newzimbabwe
