In what can best be described as a bizzare twist, residents of Birnin Magaji in Zamfara State have abducted family members of bandits in a retaliation to a recent kidnapping in the area.
Speaking to PRNigeria, a youth leader stated that the bandits had kidnapped some community members while working in the farm.
“The armed bandits invaded the farm and threatened the farmers before they took them away.
“These days many people here cannot go to the farm and even in our home we are afraid they could come and abduct us for ransom,” he said.
Youths in the community, in retaliation, intercepted wives of the bandits including a pregnant womam who were on transit.
It further gathered that a negotiation is ongoing between the community leaders and bandits’ kingpins towards resolving the stalemate.
Vice President, Kashim Shettima has said poor governance contributes to the spate of banditry and kidnapping in the northwest geopolitical zone.
OsunDailyNG reports that Shettima made this known when he hosted the Coalition of Northern States’ Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (CONSCCIMA) at the presidential villa in Abuja.
The coalition was led by its president, Dalhatu Abubakar, as they discussed with Shettima about issues of insecurity affecting the seven northwest states, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara.
Specifically, Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto have been hotbeds of banditry, resulting in recent abduction and killing of residents.
The vice president said re-engineering and re-strategizing affairs in the north is necessary to reposition the region for accelerated development.
