Bandits release abducted Zamfara health workers, return N5m ransom

The abducted Chief Medical Director of Dansadau General Hospital in Zamfara State, Dr. Mansur Muhammad, and two other health workers kidnapped in the state have regained freedom.

It was gathered that the victims were released by their abductors on Friday night after seven days in captivity.

It was further learnt that the bandits also refunded the N5 million ransom paid for their release a few hours after the payment.

It would be recalled that Muhammad and two other health workers were kidnapped last Saturday along the Gusau–Dansadau highway in the Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

However, the Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Zamfara State chapter, Dr. Mannir Bature, who confirmed the release of the abductees, said the victims were released after some cattle herders who were committed to a lasting peace with the farmers in the Dansadau community intervened and secured the release of the health workers.

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Bature added that the cattle herders also facilitated the refund of the N5 million ransom the bandits demanded.

A reliable source further disclosed that some cattle herders escorted the ransom bearer, Sama’ila Nagogo, to the delivery location, caught the armed bandits, and took them to their superiors.

The source said: “The cattle herders asked the bandits to free their victims and return the N5 million ransom which they did.

“The ransom according to him was returned to the owner.”

The source added that the return of the ransom was over the peace truce between the residents of the community, cattle herders, and bandits in the area after years of attacks and counter-attacks between the locals and the gunmen.

“Those abductors are probably not aware of the peace truce entered between the crop farmers and the cattle herders around Dansadau axis,” the source said.

The Star