Inside The Secret Release Of 32 Zamfara Elders By Bandits

Some said no ransom was paid, others told me money exchanged hands  |  Lawmaker State, Police deny knowledge

By NICHOLAS DEKERA, Gusau and ABDULLAHI OLESIN, Ilorin

Thirty-two elders from Magami Diddi District in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State have regained their freedom after spending 24 days in bandits’ captivity.

Investigations by LEADERSHIP Sunday revealed that the elders were quietly released and warned by their captors not to speak to the media or the Zamfara State Government.

Sources familiar with the development said the bandits were angered by the state government’s refusal to negotiate with them or intervene on behalf of the captives.

“They have been released, but they were warned not to talk to journalists or even present themselves before the state government,” one of the sources told LEADERSHIP Sunday.

The Secretary of Magami Diddi District, Sanusi Magami, confirmed that the elders regained their freedom on 4 July under strict instructions from their captors not to publicise their release.

Lured To Negotiate, Taken Hostage: 39 Zamfara Elders In Bandits’ Den

The lawmaker representing Maradun II Constituency in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Hon. Salisu Faru, also confirmed the development but said conflicting accounts had emerged over whether ransom was paid.

“Some of them said no ransom was paid, while others insisted that money was paid. The community is unwilling to open up to most of us in government because they feel the government abandoned them by failing to negotiate with the bandits. So I have very little information at my disposal now,” Faru said.

LEADERSHIP Sunday recalls that on 7 June 2026, about 50 elders from Magami Diddi visited the father of a notorious bandit leader, Jammo, to negotiate access for farmers to return to their farmlands.

Instead, 39 of the elders were abducted, and the bandits demanded N125 million ransom. Eleven others were released to deliver the message.

One captive later escaped while another was killed, leaving 37 in captivity until their release.

Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal had condemned the elders’ peace mission as illegal and unauthorised, insisting that his administration would never negotiate with terrorists.

“I will never negotiate with terrorists. Seeking a truce with bandits is not my opinion, and it never will be. The government is stronger than any bandit group and will defeat them through sustained military operations,” the governor had said.

He also warned that brokering peace agreements with bandits remains an offence under Zamfara State law.

Among those released were community leaders, farmers and traditional title holders from Magami Diddi District.

One of the abductees, Bako Abdullahi Yarfara, reportedly died in captivity.

State, Police Deny Knowledge

Meanwhile, the state government has denied knowledge of the release of the elders. When contacted, the spokesperson for the Zamfara State Government, Suleiman Idris Bala, said the government is unaware of the release of the 32 Elders.

He said, “You need to confirm from the Police public relations officer, but hold on, I will contact the commissioner of Police and get back to you.”

As of 10:30 pm, when this report was filed, he had not called back.

However, the state Police spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, also denied knowledge of the release. He said, “I am just hearing it from you now. I will contact the DPO Maradun and get back to you.”

As of the time of filling in this report, neither Bala nor the police imagemaker had responded to the enquiries as promised.

Five Elders Killed, N47m Ransom Paid – Community Leader

Meanwhile, Sanusi Magami, the secretary of Magamin Diddi District, alleged on Saturday night that five of the elders were killed and that N47 million was paid as ransom to the bandits, who were said to be loyal to a man named Jammo in the Maradun Forest.

Woro Abductees Not Forgotten – Kaiama LG Chair

Meanwhile, security authorities in Kwara State have assured residents that efforts to rescue abducted residents of Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area remain ongoing despite nearly six months in captivity.

A senior security official, who requested anonymity, said the circumstances surrounding the Woro abduction differ significantly from the Oriire school kidnapping in Oyo State.

“Let me tell you, the Oriire incident was probably politically motivated, while the Woro incident was carried out by people who are thirsty for blood. There were also insiders among the perpetrators. That is why it has been difficult to rescue the victims.

“However, the federal government, the Kwara State Government and the security agencies are working seriously to secure their release,” the source said.

The official gave this explanation while responding to reports that the kidnappers had threatened to force some of the female captives into marriage and kill others if their demands were not met.

Bandits Reject N155m Raised By Community 

Families of the abductees had earlier appealed to the federal and Kwara State governments to intensify efforts to secure the release of their loved ones, claiming they had raised more than N155 million through community contributions, only for the kidnappers to reject the ransom.

Kaiama Local Government Area chairman, Hon. Abubakar Abdullahi Danladi, dismissed claims that the government had abandoned the victims.

“We have not forgotten them. We are collaborating with the state government to secure their rescue.

“But this is a security matter, and we cannot disclose everything in the newspapers. By God’s grace, our people will be rescued as soon as possible. There is a heavy presence of security agencies in our local government, and the state government is working with the Federal Government to free our people,” he said.

However, the Coordinator of the Joint Security Watch, Kwara South, Elder Olaitan Oyin-Zubair, blamed what he described as complacency by political leaders in Kaiama and Baruten local government areas for the slow response.

“We should all be blamed. However, the leaders of Kaiama and Baruten LGAs bear the greatest responsibility. The people should have mobilised in a way that would have attracted the attention of the federal government and security agencies much earlier,” he said.

A palace source in Kaiama expressed optimism that the abductees would soon regain their freedom, saying traditional rulers and local leaders were mounting pressure on both the state and federal governments to intensify rescue efforts.

Kwara State Commissioner of Police Adekimi Ojo also assured residents that security agencies remained committed to rescuing every victim.

“Concerted efforts are being made to secure the release of everyone in the hands of bandits. Even if it is one person, we cannot rest until that person regains freedom,” he said.

The police commissioner dismissed claims circulating on social media that 176 persons remained in captivity, saying the figure could not be verified.

“I don’t know the source of that number because it did not come from any security agency. We cannot confirm it,” he said, adding that residents had identified only about 10 people in the video released by the kidnappers.

President Tinubu Should Personally Intervene – CSO

Meanwhile, a civil society group, the People’s Voice Advocacy Network (PVAN), has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to personally intervene in the rescue operation, describing the prolonged captivity of the victims as a humanitarian emergency.

The group said the willingness of residents to raise over N155 million through community contributions underscored the desperation of affected families and urged security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the victims’ release, as was done in the rescue of the abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo State.