In yet another horrifying episode of violence in Nigeria’s northwestern region, bandits operating in Zamfara State have reportedly killed 33 hostages despite receiving a ransom payment of over $33,000, according to survivors and local officials.
The victims were among 51 residents abducted in February from Banga village in Kaura Namoda district during a brazen raid that left two people dead. Families, desperate to save their loved ones, raised the ransom in two instalments over several months only to be betrayed.
Last Friday, only 18 of the captives were released. Survivors revealed a grim tale: their fellow hostages were executed by the very men who had accepted payment for their release.
“They took our money and slaughtered the rest,” said Altine Bawa, a devastated resident of Banga.
Local official Mannir Haidara confirmed that fatalities had occurred but declined to give an exact number, stating that investigations were still ongoing.
Zamfara, like other parts of northwestern Nigeria, has descended into lawlessness over the past decade. What began as sporadic violence between herders and farmers has metastasized into well-armed criminal networks that engage in mass abductions, extortion, and murder. With limited government presence in these rural areas, communities are left exposed and vulnerable.
The latest killings underscore the escalating humanitarian crisis and highlight the urgent need for more effective state and federal intervention to restore security and the rule of law in Nigeria’s volatile northwest.
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