One of 85 Zamfara villagers abducted by bandits escapes

Zainab Abdullahi, one of the 85 villagers kidnapped from Wanzamai village in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, has escaped from the bandits’ camp and returned home.

Zainab’s escape leaves 84 remaining in captivity.

An indigene of Wazamai, Abubakar Na’allah, who confirmed the development to reporters, said Zainab escaped on Friday night and has been reunited with her parents in the village.

According to Na’allah, Zainab was among the kidnapped girls who were assigned by the bandits to fetch firewood to cook for the victims in the bandits’ camp.

Read also:Troops arrest suspected arms supplier to bandits in Kaduna

“When Zainab and other girls went to fetch firewood, she (Zainab) decided to run away and was able to come back home”, Na’allah said, adding that the young girl was well and hearty although she looked pale.

Na’allah, however, expressed disgust over the refusal of the bandits to release the abducted persons despite the N3 million they collected from the Wanzamai community.

The Wanzamai community, according to reports, had raised the sum of N3 million for the release of the 85 kidnapped victims but after collecting the money, the bandits insisted that an additional amount should be paid.

They also insisted that the military personnel deployed to Wanzamai village should be withdrawn from the village.

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