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Nigeria kidnappers kill 35 hostages, even after Ransom paid

    Kidnappers in Nigeria killed at least 35 people they kidnapped from a village in the State Noord -Sensfara, despite the fact that ransom was paid for their release, a local officer told the BBC.

    In recent years, criminal gangs in the region, known in the country as bandits, have received people as a means to raise money.

    In this incident, 56 people were taken from Banga Village, Kauran Namoda Local Government Area in March. The shooters then demanded a ransom of a million Naira ($ 655; £ 485) per captive, media in the Nigeria report.

    Local government chairman Manniru Haidara Kaura said that most of them were killed young people who were “slaughtered like rams”.

    “What happened was that the bandits demanded ransom of money, and after some back and forth they got what they asked. They released 18 people, including 17 women and a young boy, free,” Hoidara added.

    “Only she [the gunmen] Know why they killed them. They are meaningless and heartless people. They forget that they kill their own brothers, and we will all meet for Allah. “

    Sixteen of those on Saturday are in the hospital who receive treatment, while it is unlikely that the bodies of the 38 are killed by the bandits, because in these cases seem rarely released.

    In a statement, the government of Zamfara condemned the murders that called them “barbaric and cowardly” and stated that such atrocities contribute to its determination to wipe out terrorism from the state.

    “For the grieving families we share your grief and pray for strength and healing. To the good people of Zamfara, remain united and vigilant. Report suspicious activities, and together we will defeat the evil.”

    The government said that the murderers would be brought to court.

    In an attempt to curb the spiral and lucrative kidnapping industry, a law was established in 2022, making it a crime to do ransom. It is a prison sentence of at least 15 years, but no one has ever been arrested for those charges.

    It also made kidnapping punishable by death in cases where victims die.

    But families often feel forced to pay to save their loved ones, referring to the government's inability to guarantee their safety.

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