At least 11 hostages flee bandits’ camps in northern Nigeria

By Ibrahim Garba Shuaibu

KANO, Nigeria (AA) - At least 11 hostages fled bandits’ camps at the outskirts of Sabon Birni town in northern Nigeria on Thursday, a local official confirmed.

It happened in the Igabi local government area of the Kaduna state.

Samuel Aruwan, the commissioner of internal security and home affairs in Kaduna, said bandits were dislodged during the ongoing security operations in many camps, leaving them in disarray and enabling the escape of the hostages.

“Careful checks revealed that the 11 hostages are a mix of those kidnapped from Dumbin Rauga, Zaria LGA and also along the Kaduna-Zaria highway,” he said.

The families of those kidnapped at Dumbin Rauga had collectively paid a ransom of 3 million Nigerian nairas ($6,000) but the bandits refused to release the captives, insisting that two motorcycles must be included in the ransom deal.

He said the escapees were recovered by the troops and have since reunited with their families.

He said Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai expressed his satisfaction with the developments, praising the military’s efforts and the degrading effect of the onslaught on bandit hideouts across the state.