In a devastating turn of events, kidnappers in Nigeria's northern Zamfara state have tragically killed a minimum of 35 individuals who were taken captive from Banga village, even after ransoms were paid for their release. This alarming information was confirmed by local officials speaking to the BBC.
In this incident, a total of 56 people were abducted in March by armed assailants from the notorious criminal groups, commonly known as bandits in Nigeria, who utilize kidnapping as a means to generate financial gain. Following their capture, the gunmen demanded a ransom of one million naira (approximately $655 or £485) for each hostage.
Local government chairman Manniru Haidara Kaura expressed outrage, stating that most of the deceased were young individuals “slaughtered like rams.” Despite a ransom being negotiated and paid, the bandits only released 18 captives—17 women and one young boy—while the remaining victims met a tragic fate.
Kaura lamented the senselessness of this violence, emphasizing that the killers forget they are taking the lives of fellow human beings. He remarked, "Only they [the gunmen] know why they killed them... we will all meet before Allah." Of those released, 16 are currently hospitalized receiving medical treatment, while the bodies of the deceased will likely not be returned to their families, as it is common for kidnappers to withhold corpses in such scenarios.
In response to the plight caused by rampant kidnappings, Nigerian authorities enacted legislation in 2022, declaring ransom payments a crime that imposes penalties of up to 15 years in prison. The new law also stipulates that kidnapping can result in the death penalty if a victim dies, yet no arrests have been recorded under this legislation thus far. Families facing the peril of kidnapping often feel pressured to pay ransoms due to the government's failure to guarantee safety, underscoring a complex situation that continues to plague the region.
