At least 32 out of the over 200 people kidnapped from the Randa Community in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State have been killed by their abductors.

A traditional leader in Mutumji Community, Abdulkadir Abdullahi, disclosed this Monday evening. Abdullahi also said about 200 others hostages were released after a ransom was paid.

Terrorists led by notorious terror kingpin, Lawalli Damina, kidnapped the entire male residents of the Randa community over missing rifles.

They were abducted after they denied knowledge of the whereabouts of two rifles that allegedly went missing in the community.

The rifles were said to belong to two fighters of the terror group who were killed by another gang member after they clashed over a girl in the community.

Randa, which is under Mutumji ward, is in the Dansadau Emirate and sits at the edge of Kuyanbana forest in the ungoverned boundaries with Katsina, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger states.

Abdullahi told this newspaper late Monday that the residents were released on Sunday after they agreed to pay N30 million as ransom to the terrorist groups.

However, Abdullahi said N6 million was paid to the terrorists while the N24 million outstanding balance would be paid later following the release of the hostages as agreed by both parties.

“About two hundred people were released, and 32 others were killed. The freed hostages are taking refuge at the Dansadau hospital.

“The released hostages narrated how the bandits killed their community members either by slaughtering or shooting at close range or stabbing them to death with knives. They explained that others died due to suffocation and sicknesses.

“The released people are taking refuge in Dansadau town. They are afraid to go back to their community because the remaining balance of N24 million is yet to be paid and the people may strike again,” the traditional ruler said.

PT