At least 50 community elders sent to negotiate with bandits in Zamfara State have been abducted during a peace meeting aimed at restoring security and enabling residents to return to their farms.
The incident occurred on Sunday in Magamin Diddi village, located in the Magami/Faru Ward of Maradun Local Government Area.
A resident of the community, Musa Sani, said villagers had resolved to seek dialogue with the bandits in the hope of securing safe access to farmlands ahead of the farming season.
According to him, 50 elders were selected to meet with the armed group in the forest, but the peace mission ended in tragedy when the bandits seized all the delegates.
“The community agreed to pursue reconciliation with the bandits so that people could return to their farms this year. Unfortunately, the bandits rejected the peace move and kidnapped all 50 elders sent to meet them,” Sani said.
Confirming the incident, Maradun Local Government Chairman, Bello Dosara, said community leaders embarked on the reconciliation effort without informing local authorities.
Dosara reiterated that both the state and local governments oppose negotiations with bandits and have repeatedly warned residents against such engagements.
“We are against reconciliation with bandits and have consistently advised our people not to enter into such arrangements. Governor Dauda Lawal has made the government’s position clear on this issue,” he said.
The council chairman disclosed that the bandits had recently blocked roads leading to the community market following intensified security operations that reportedly resulted in the killing of some of their members.
He questioned the decision to engage the group at a time when they were allegedly seeking opportunities to retaliate.
“I don’t understand why the community chose to meet people who were already looking for victims to abduct,” he added.
Dosara, however, said 11 of the kidnapped elders had since regained their freedom, while 39 others remain in captivity.
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