Bandits Kidnap Village Head And Imam, Demands N5M For Their Release

Magaji Sa’idu, the village head of Rakyabu village in Zamfara State’s Tsafe Local Government Area, and the village’s Chief Imam, Malam Abdullahi, have been kidnapped by armed bandits.

Amadu Mohammed, a local, told Punch on Monday that Sa’idu and Abdullahi were kidnapped from their homes on Sunday night, December 17, 2023.

The bandits demanded N5 million in ransom, according to Mohammed, but the community could only raise N500,000.

He bemoaned the bandits’ collection of N500.000 and their refusal to release the two abducted people.

“When the bandits sent a message demanding N5 million as ransom, the families of the two abducted people could not get any reasonable amount,” he said.

“As such, we decided to launch an appeal fund where we raised N500, 000 and handed the amount to the bandits.

“They collected the money and told us that we must pay the remaining balance which is N4.5 million.”

Mohammed maintained that the community could not get the remaining balance at the moment.

“We have nothing to sell and get the money needed by the bandits because they have taken everything from us,” he added.

He called on the appropriate authorities to do something to rescue their village head and the Chief Imam.