From Ahmad Ibrahim, Gusau
Bandits have kidnapped at least 60 people in a fresh attack on a community in Zamfara State.
The state Commissioner of Information, Ibrahim Dosara, told newsmen weekend evening that the bandits stormed Rini community on Friday night.
He said that after the attack, 60 residents of the community could not be accounted for by the other residents.
The commissioner said bandits are intensifying attacks in the state because of the offensive by the Nigerian military, especially the Nigerian Air Force, against them.
The state is one of those most affected by banditry in Northern part of the country.
Hundreds of people have been killed or kidnapped in the past year by the armed men in the state.
Rini is in Bakura Local Government Area, where bandits kidnapped 15 students and four staff in a Sunday night attack.
Two days after the students’ abduction, a video surfaced where the students were seen pleading with the state government to “do the needful,” a euphemism for payment of ransom, in 24 hours.
A notorious bandit, Halilu Kachalla, who operates in Bakura, Maradun, Shinkafi (all in the state) and Sabon Birni (in Sokoto State) is suspected to be behind the abduction of the students of the College of Agriculture and Animal Sciences.
In the interview, Mr. Dosara said the state government has intensified efforts to rid the state of banditry and all sort of criminality.
He also assured parents and relations of the abducted students and staff that they would be released in the next 48 hours.
The Triumph learnt that the ransom demanded by the bandits for the students has been slashed from N350 million to N150 million.
