SaharaReporters learned that a group of terrorists stormed the community last Thursday night and rustled all the livestock being reared in the agrarian community.
Three residents of Yan Ukku village of Garbadu Ward, Talata Mafara local government area of Zamfara State were kidnapped during the latest terrorist attack on the community.
SaharaReporters learned that a group of terrorists stormed the community last Thursday night and rustled all the livestock being reared in the agrarian community.
The terrorists kidnapped a man identified as Muhammadu Lakada and two others during the attack.
This was confirmed by Muhammadu’s brother who spoke to SaharaReporters on Monday morning, adding that the terrorists have contacted the family to demand the sum of N40 million as ransom before releasing the abductees.
The community source revealed further that last week's attack on the community would be the third since 2022.
The source said: “On Tuesday before the abduction, they came to the village and snatched people's phones, ate food, and stole hens.
“They also stole the phone of my elder brother, called me and informed me that they had seen a lot of animals in the village, so l should link them with an older person in the village to negotiate before they can return my brother's SIM card and if not, they will come to do what they want. But l told them I'm not living in the village but in Gusau.
“On Friday, l was informed that the same bandits had come to rustle all the animals in the village and abducted three people including my elder brother. I heard it occurred the previous before.”
He said the family offered to pay the bandits N1 million because they had already stolen all their animals which were their major source of living. But the bandits rejected the offer.
The source continued: “The following day after the abduction, they called and asked for N40 million ransom to release both our three people and the animals they rustled. They were told that they would be given N1 million, but they said no.
“So, since then nobody contacted them again. They rustled the animals that are supposed to be sold to earn money for the people so nobody has such money they are asking for because most of the people rely on their animals to get an income.
“They have to sell one sheep or cow to get money. Now, they were left empty. They don't any means of getting money.”
The family stated that they believed victims and the rustled animals were being held inside the popular Barikin Daji forest in the Talata Mafara local government area.
When asked if the family had involved the police in the case, the family said they had not done so because previous cases proved that involving Nigerian security operatives would not solve the issue.
“Most of our people don't involve the police in such cases because they don't think it will work. They don’t think the police can do anything to ensure their release. They can't enter the bush and fight bandits,” the source added.
Attempts to reach the Zamfara Police Command Spokesman, Yezid Abubakar, for comments were unsuccessful. He did not answer his calls or reply to the messages sent to his mobile line.