Bandits raided the Moriki community in Zamfara State on Wednesday night, kidnapping more than 10 residents and demanding a ransom of N50 million.
The incident, confirmed by the Police Public Relations Officer in Zamfara, ASP Yazid Abubakar, has prompted the Commissioner of Police to order a swift response to rescue the victims.
A resident of Moriki, speaking to the BBC Hausa Service on Thursday, described the ongoing terror the community faces at the hands of these bandits.
According to him, the attackers have been consistently disturbing the area, with previous incidents of abductions and ransom demands.
“The bandits claimed that their cows were killed by the Commander in the community,” the resident explained.
“They attacked the community and went from house to house, picking our people, and gave today as the deadline for us to pay the N50 million.”
The resident further revealed that the bandits frequently target the community whenever they need money, kidnapping residents and holding them captive until ransoms are paid.
He mentioned a recent incident where the community paid N20 million to the bandits to gain access to their farms.
“The community is not secured at all,” he lamented, underscoring the persistent insecurity that plagues the area.
As the deadline for the ransom payment looms, the community remains on edge, hoping for a swift and effective response from the authorities to rescue their loved ones and restore some measure of safety.