Bandits Free 45 Kidnap Victims After Negotiations In Katsina

Forty-five kidnapped victims have regained their freedom in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State following negotiations under the Operation Safe Corridor peace accord.

The recovery was led by a member representing Bakori in the Katsina State House of Assembly, Engr. Abdurrahman Ahmad Kandarawa, who spearheaded efforts to secure the release of the victims held by bandits for an extended period.

In a viral video, one of the abductors revealed that the agreement was honoured due to commitments made by both sides.

Hon. Kandarawa, who facilitated the negotiations, drew parallels to international peace efforts, citing the Gaza-Israel agreement.

“Even in the world, peace agreements are made to ensure coexistence,” he said. “There is nothing wrong in making peace to secure a lasting and peaceful future for our people.”

The victims, including men and women abducted from Guga in Doguwar Dorawa Fulani settlement camp and Gidan Danmayaki villages, were freed on Monday through a negotiation channel linked to a bandit leader identified as Isiya Kwashen Garwa.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication and security analyst, the victims regained their freedom around 2pm and were immediately received by Engr. Kandarawa.

They were then transferred to the Comprehensive Health Centre in Bakori, where medical personnel assessed their physical condition after prolonged captivity.

According to Makama, the bandits stressed that the measure followed fulfilled government and security agencies’ obligations, urging the government to avoid actions that could escalate tensions.