Amid the biting hunger in the land, Bandits in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State are now demanding cooked food as ransom for kidnapped victims.
According to reports, the bandits were said to have retrieved from attacking communities following the state Government’s ban on weekly markets as part of measures to tackle insecurity in the state.
A youth leader in one of the villages of Birnin Gwari, Babangida Yaro, told reporters that ever since the ban came in place, bandits who operate along Damari, Kutemashi, and Kuyello villages only asked for cooked food each time they abduct people.
According to him, the ban on the sale of fuel in filling stations located in rural communities had also helped to restrict their movement.
Read Also: Abductors Demand ₦500m Ransom For Niger Commissioner
‘There is relative peace around Damari, kuyello, Kutemashi because the bandits have stopped attacking our communities. They usually stay in the forest and seize food items mostly cooked ones from vendors,’ he said.
He added that when they abducted two or three persons in farms, one is allowed to go and get them food from their relatives as ransom since there is no communication network to make contact.
The youth leader added that Dogon Dawa area is still not completely safe because villagers are still scared of accessing their farmlands.
Babangida also lamented that although the ban on the use of private Motorcycles in the villages had increased hardship on the bandits, it was also taking a heavy toll on residents.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK