Suspected armed bandits abducted 12 men when they were returning from farm near Yar’ Tashar Sahabi village in the troubled Dansadau district of Maru Local Government Area of the state.

The incident came barely 24 hours after about 35 women were abducted at Matankari village in the same district even though authorities had earlier announced the release of 30 of them on Monday.

Abdurrazak, one of the abducted persons who was freed by the gunmen after they noticed an injury on his leg, told Daily Trust that the armed bandits noticed that he could not walk fast owing to injury on his leg, so they decided to release him.

“We were heading to home and when it remained just 2 km to arrive at Yar’ Tasha Sahabi village we were suddenly intercepted and surrounded by the gun-totting men riding on eight motorbikes. They tied us to one another like slaves and herded us in to forest,” he said.

“We were being beaten with clubs and sticks like cows as they shouted at us to walk fast. Even when they came to us one of them fired several gunshots in to the air. He warned us that we would meet our deaths if we attempted to resist them. Yar’ Tashar Sahabi community is just 30 km North of Dansadau town.”

“So when they observed that I could not walk any longer. Their leader said I should be released. They gave me a sim pack containing their mobile number and ask me to call the number therein if we want to negotiate the release of our brothers,” he added.

He further explained that the remaining 11 persons are still in captivity and all effort to reach them through the phone number they gave became fruitless as the number was not going.

The spokesman of the state police command DSP Muhammad Shehu could not be reached for comment as at the time of filing this report. (Daily Trust)

Update news