Repentant bandits free kidnapped Councilor, family, others in Katsina

Repentant bandits in Katsina State Friday night freed a local Government Councilor, Alhaji Gambo Sama’ila Yarliyau, his wife and one-year-old daughter, along with two others after nine days in captivity.

A press release which was signed by the Director-General Media to Governor Aminu Bello Masari, Malam Labara Malumfashi and made available to newsmen in Katsina on Saturday, said the councilor, who represents Barkiya Ward of Kurfi Local Government Area and the two members of his family, were presented to the Governor Friday evening by the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Council, Alhaji Jabiru AbdulLahi Tsauri.

The other two freed captives, whose names were not disclosed, looked traumatized and were taken to Kurfi hospital for medical attention.

Receiving the victims, Governor Masari expressed confidence that very soon there would be no more kidnap victims in captivity from Katsina State, as all those known to be gang-kidnapped have regained their freedom, saying that the bandits have been gradually fulfilling their promise to release all the victims in their hands.

He said’’ the state is presently enjoying stable peace and security and we shall soon embark on the next phase of the dialogue with the bandits which is disarmament and we are looking forward to it’’

The Nation recalled that the recent dialogue held between the Katsina State Government and bandits terrorizing the state for some time now has been yielding positive results as both parties have been keeping to particularly, the terms of the prisoner swap agreement.

(Credit: The Nation)