Zamfara community protest continuous bandit attacks, N200m ransom payment

The Nahuche community of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State has decried the continuous bandit attacks on the community.

The residents converged at the Government House, Gusau, on Sunday, calling on the federal and state governments to come to their aid.

The community members said that over N200m has been spent on ransom payments as well as settlement of vigilance groups, yet the situation remained the same.

Led by a former council chairman, Alhaji Musa Nahuce, the community addressed newsman after the demonstration, saying residents could no longer sleep with two eyes closed.

He disclosed that many people were kidnapped from the village last Saturday.

According to Nahuce, the bandits recently abducted and killed a prominent businessman in the village, Alhaji Hadi Babangeme, even after collecting N35m as ransom.

He said, “We were shocked and traumatised when we heard that a businessman, Alhaji Hadi Babangeme Nahuce, died in the hand of his kidnappers after they received N35m ransom from his family. We are no longer safe and many have fled the town.

“We paid over N200m ransom to armed bandits, yet we are not safe; they keep on attacking and abducting our people.

“Recently, the bandits abducted nine people and ransom was paid, but they refused to release them until we supplied them motorcycles again before they released them.”

The community appealed to the government to come to their aid and protect them from incessant bandit attacks.

They also called for the deployment of more security personnel, establishment of a mobile police base and presence of more military troops in the area.

The state Governor, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, was not at the Government House to receive the protesters.