Thirty seven villagers abducted from Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State have regained their freedom following weeks of negotiations and a peace agreement with bandits, a member of the state House of Assembly, Abdulraham Kandarawa, has confirmed.
Kandarawa, who represents Bakori Constituency, disclosed on Friday that the latest release brings the total number of freed captives under the peace arrangement to eighty two. He recalled that forty five villagers had earlier been released under the same understanding.
Speaking to journalists in Katsina, the lawmaker said the victims were held in Sabe Local Government Area of Zamfara State and were released without the payment of ransom after sustained dialogue with the abductors.
He said the freed captives include seventeen women, two infants, and eighteen men, adding that all the abducted villagers from the affected communities had now been returned safely.
According to him, the bandits had pledged to release the captives on the condition that peace was maintained in the area, a promise he said they eventually honoured.
Kandarawa urged residents to continue to embrace peace and avoid actions that could threaten the fragile calm in the communities. He appealed for reconciliation where grievances exist in order to sustain the progress recorded.
He also expressed gratitude that the captives were released without financial demands, stressing that the agreement was based strictly on dialogue and mutual commitment to end hostilities.
Meanwhile, Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, had earlier maintained that the release of abducted persons across the state was driven strictly by community efforts. He has consistently denied direct government negotiations with bandits while commending local peace initiatives that have aided the restoration of calm in some areas of the state.
