By Desire Emmanuel
Bandits who abducted some women and girls at a community in Sokoto State four weeks ago have refused to release them after collecting money, phones, SIM cards and other items as ransom.
The bandits abducted the women and girls when they invaded Rarah community in Rabah Local Government Area of the state, four weeks ago and after keeping them in the forest, they established contacts with the families of the captives.
They were said to have demanded huge amount of money as ransom in addition to an unspecified number of phones and other items.
After some negotiations however, the families were able to get the money and the other items which they sent to the bandits, but to their dismay, after the bandits collected the items, they held on to the women and the girls in the forest.
A source close to the local government area told Impact Nigeria News Online on Tuesday night that the members of the community have made passionate appeals to the bandits to be merciful and release the women and girls.
However, while family members and others in the community are in anguish regarding the refusal to release the women and girls, the state government and security agencies seem to be looking the other way.
In another development, a man who spent 66 day in captivity after he was abducted in Malumfashi, Katsina State, has regained his freedom from his abductors.
The man, Garba Oga, was reported to have been released on Tuesday afternoon apparently after payment of an undisclosed amount as ransom, to the great relief of his family members.
The Northern part of the country, especially the North-West, has been under the grips of bandits and terrorists who unleash mayhem on residents of various communities, killing people and abducting others.
