Bandits launched a fresh attack on Moriki community in Zamfara State on Wednesday night, abducting more than 10 residents and demanding a N50 million ransom for their release.
The Zamfara State Police Command confirmed the incident, with the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Yazid Abubakar, assuring that the Commissioner of Police had directed operatives to take immediate action to rescue the kidnapped victims.
A resident of Moriki, speaking to the BBC Hausa Service on Thursday, described the community’s ongoing struggles with bandit attacks.
“The bandits are disturbing our community and had previously kidnapped other locals,” he said, highlighting the persistent insecurity in the area.
According to the resident, the recent attack was allegedly triggered by the killing of the bandits’ cattle by a local commander.
“They attacked the community, going from house to house, abducting our people. They have given us today as the deadline to pay the N50 million ransom,” he added.
The resident further lamented the recurring nature of these attacks, stating that the bandits frequently target the community whenever they are in need of money.
“Not long ago, they collected N20 million from community members just to allow us to access our farms. The community is not secured at all,” he said.
Residents live in constant fear, with kidnappings and demands for ransom becoming an all-too-familiar occurrence.
