Bandits Brutalise Victims In Niger State Community, Release Three Out Of 28 Captives Despite Ransom Payment | Sahara Reporters

The victims also disclosed that only three of the 28 people abducted in the Kuimo area had been released as of the time of their interviews, after ransoms were reportedly paid for their freedom.

Residents of Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State have recounted harrowing experiences in the hands of bandits, with victims describing how they were beaten, tied up and subjected to severe hardship during their captivity.

The victims also disclosed that only three of the 28 people abducted in the Kuimo area had been released as of the time of their interviews, after ransoms were reportedly paid for their freedom.

The victims spoke in Hausa during interviews with Gaskiya News Hausa monitored by SaharaReporters.

One of the victims, identified as Bayo from Maharo, said he was abducted while returning home on a motorcycle.

Bayo said he encountered the bandits in the morning while riding his motorcycle, adding that he attempted to flee after his motorcycle fell.

“I was going home in the morning. Then I encountered them. I was riding a motorcycle when the motorcycle fell, and I ran,” he said.

During the interview, Bayo showed what appeared to be a binding around his hand and explained that the bandits had used glass to restrain him.

When asked whether he had been tied with rope or glass, Bayo said, “They tied me with glass.”

Bayo disclosed that he was released the previous night after money was paid as ransom.

“Money was paid,” he said when asked whether a ransom had been paid before his release.

He also recounted the physical abuse he allegedly suffered while in captivity.

Asked to describe his experience further, he added, “They tortured me a lot.”

According to Bayo, 28 people were abducted in the incident, most of them residents of the Kuimo area. There were twenty-eight of us,” he said.

However, he disclosed that only three of the abducted persons had been released at the time of the interview. “Only three of us were released,” he said.

Bayo also said the bandits indicated that they intended to keep the victims in captivity for an extended period.

“They said it would be difficult and that they would remain there for some time,” he said.

Asked whether the bandits threatened to continue keeping them in captivity, Bayo said, “Honestly, they showed that they intended to remain there. They stayed there all the time.”

Following his release, Bayo appealed to the government to take decisive action to remove the bandits from the area.

He repeated the appeal when the interviewer sought clarification, saying, “They should drive them away.”

Another victim, identified as Garba from Lula, also recounted his experience after being abducted by the bandits.

Garba said the attackers disguised themselves by wearing hijabs, causing him initially to mistake them for women.

He added, “The kidnappers disguised themselves, wearing hijabs. I saw them wearing hijabs.”

According to him, the bandits entered the farm and stopped with a motorcycle before abducting him.

“They entered the farm/field and stopped with a motorcycle, and from there they caught me,” he said.

Garba said that after he was captured, the bandits tied his hands behind his back and took him away.

“Yes. After they caught me, they held me with my hands…” he said before confirming that his hands were tied behind his back.

“They tied my hands behind my back and took me away. When we reached a house, they entered a room and then tied me up. They also beat me severely,” he said.

He explained that the captors continued to restrain him after taking him to the house.

“They tied me up and took me away with my hands behind my back,” he said.

Asked what was used to tie him, whether rope or wire, Garba said it was a material commonly used for tying things in the farm.

“It was with something used for tying people in the farm/field,” he said.

Describing the conditions he and other captives endured, Garba said the experience was extremely difficult.

He said the nights were particularly difficult because the captives could hardly sleep.

“The nights were very difficult. We could hardly sleep,” he said.

According to Garba, the bandits continued to beat the captives even when they were sleeping.

“Even when we slept, they kept beating us. Whenever someone became weak or resisted, they would beat him,” he said.

Garba said the victims were kept inside a room rather than outside.

He confirmed that his hands were also tied behind his back and that the beatings continued.
“They tied my hands behind my back,” he said.

Asked whether they were beaten, he replied, “Yes, they kept beating us.”

Garba called on the government to intervene and find a lasting solution to the insecurity affecting residents of the area.

“What we want from the government is… We want the authorities to find a way to address the situation because, honestly, we suffered,” he said.

When asked specifically whether he wanted the government to take action to drive the bandits away, Garba said such action was necessary.

“We want action to be taken to drive these people away because they have deprived us of our freedom and peace. Also, when they came, they subjected us to a lot of suffering, honestly,” he said.

Garba also confirmed that money was paid before he was released.

The accounts by the two victims highlight the continued insecurity confronting communities in parts of Niger State, where residents have repeatedly faced abductions and demands for ransom.

The victims’ accounts also indicate that their release did not mean that all those abducted in the incident had regained their freedom, with Bayo specifically stating that only three of the 28 victims had been released at the time of his interview.

They subsequently prayed for the safety of other residents and for an end to the attacks.