No fewer than thirty set of kidnap victims have been released in Katsina State.
The 30 persons were handed over to the state governor, Aminu Masari on Saturday, bringing the number of persons released so far to 45, as the ongoing peace deal enters its third week.
Addressing the returnees, the Governor Masari assured that his administration will not relent in its efforts to secure the release of others still in captivity.
He also directed that the returnees be taken to the hospital for health checks before heading home to join their families.
One of the victims, Zinatu Sani from Kankara told journalists that she was abducted from her matrimonial home with two of her children.
She said that the bandits initially demanded a ransom of N20 million which was later reduced to N6 million, which she said her family couldn’t pay.
She said the suspected bandits used to give them raw rice to cook with only water and salt.
Sani narrated that they slept in an open space for fifty-five (55) days whether it rained or not.
She further disclosed that there were still a lot of people in captivity inside the forest.
The freed victims were later handed over to the transition committee chairmen of Kankara and Jibiya LGs for medical check-up and eventual reunification with their families.
