The criminal bandits who abducted 26 persons from Kakidawa ward in the Gidan-Goga district in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State have rejected N3M offered as ransom for their release.

An indigene of the village, Abubakar Shehu, whose three daughters are among the abductees, disclosed this in an interview on Monday, December 9, 2024.

He clarified that 26 individuals were abducted during the attack, not 50 as earlier reported by some media outlets.

According to Shehu, the abductees, include 19 females and six males, with one of his daughters preparing for marriage before her abduction.

“We raised N3m to offer to the bandits, but they rejected it,” Shehu lamented. “When we informed their leader about the amount, he dismissed us, saying we were not serious, and then switched off his phone. Since then, we have been unable to reach him.”

Recounting the incident, Shehu said, “The bandits attacked our community on Sunday and took away 26 people, all of whom are my neighbours. They contacted us to demand payment for their release but did not specify the amount they wanted.”

The community, which has faced repeated attacks from the bandits, remains on edge. Shehu noted that the bandits operate from a camp near the village and have been a persistent threat for a long time.

He added that despite reporting the incident to security agencies in the area, no action had been taken.

“We have informed the security personnel in the local government, but nothing has been done to address the situation. This is not the first time our village has been attacked,” he said.

Many residents have fled Gidan-Goga due to the frequent bandit attacks, though some, like Shehu, have stayed behind due to a lack of alternatives.