SUNDAY BIG STORY

By

Managing Editor

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It is still shocking that the eighty five abductees from Wanzamai village of Zamfara are still suffering in the hands of their abductors as no effort is made to get them freed by both the government and indeed the security agencies.

This is over two weeks since bandits in their hundreds laid ambush along the outskirt of Wanzamai village in Zamfara and abducted eighty five persons, mostly women, children and underage.

Wanzamai is located in between Yankara village the Zamfara border with Katsina state and Tsafe one of the local governments in Zamfara state.

The abduction has been connected to a reprisal attack by bandits over the killing of four of their colleagues by the combined security forces stationed along the area.

They initially enforced a ransom of about N1.8 million on the abductees, but the hope of getting the abductees released was dashed after the bandits insisted that the government must withdraw the armed security men stationed along the area before the abductees were finally released.

Zamfara state government, through its commissioner for Security and home affairs, retired DIG Mamman Tsafe insisted that bandits must not dictate to the government when and where to station security forces in defense of the lives and properties of the people of the state.

Since then, Zamfara state police command, through various press statements, assured the parents and well-wishers of these abductees that, it will make a concerted effort to get the abductees freed.

This commitment according to mal. Salihu Aminu has failed since nothing was heard from both the government and security agencies regarding the possible release of the abductees.

He stated that “we are in touch with these bandits and the confusion remains that, “they are still making their promises of releasing the abductees unfulfilled” a source Mal. Bala stated.

He added that, “some of us have raised the money as requested by the bandits, but it seems the bandits are not willing to accept the money and release our loved ones may be because they are still having issue to clear with the government”.

Another source, Malam Garba said, we hardly sleep because we have over eighty of our loved ones in captivity. “Some of our wives are always crying, asking us to go to any step and get their wards and children released”.

“The condition of our children in the hand of our captors is still scaring, and we cannot afford to risk their lives in the hand of the bandits. “We used to call them through the bandits and their conditions are scaring, . We have to do something if the government and indeed the security agencies have failed in their move”.

On the commitment by the government regarding Magazu issue, Mal. Sulaiman Bello an activist in Zamfara, insisted that the government is indeed not showing any serious concern to getting these children released.

He noted that “issues of sensitive nature like this government need to show seriousness and always keep in touch with the family members for them to know the effort government is making”, noting that the act of silence as demonstrated by the government had clearly shown that, people would be made to loss hope in the ability of the government to deliver to that effect.

Two days back, it was reported that, one of the girls abducted by these bandits in Wanzamai escaped in the hand of its captors.

Her name was Zainab Abdullahi and according to some reports, she managed to escape after she and some other abductees were sent to go and fetches firewood for cooking.

Zamfara state police spokesman CSP Shehu Muhammad in response to our inquiries stated that the command is not relenting in its effort to rescue all the abducted victims who are currently in captivity across the state.

Shehu further said under the leadership of CP Kolo Yusuf, many hostages were rescued unconditionally and have.been reunited with their families hale and hearty.