About 50 residents of Magamin Diddi village in Magami/Faru ward of Maradun Local Government Area, Zamfara State, have been kidnapped while reportedly embarking on a reconciliation visit to a bandit leader.
The victims were said to have been intercepted by Jammo, a notorious bandit kingpin operating in the Muntsira Forest axis of Maradun LGA, who allegedly carried out the abduction during the encounter.
Confirming the development, the Chairman of Maradun Local Government, Hon. Bello Dosara, told Daily Trust that the community went ahead with the peace meeting without official approval from the authorities.
Dosara said the state government and local council had opposed such self-arranged reconciliation efforts, stressing that Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration did not sanction any negotiation with armed groups.
“We are against reconciliation with the bandits and Governor Dauda Lawal never supported that, but unknown to us the people chose to go on with it,” he said.
He also noted that the same bandit group had previously restricted access to the village market, adding that security escorts were usually provided weekly to allow residents safe movement.
“I wonder why, how they go and meet their rivals, they block access to the market, and I support them with security every week,” he added.According to him, 11 of the abducted villagers have been released, while about 39 others remain in captivity.
