In brief
A local official revealed to the BBC that kidnappers in Nigeria's northern Zamfara state brutally killed at least 35 captives from Banga village, despite ransom payments being made for their freedom. In this distressing case, 56 individuals were seized from the village in March, with gunmen demanding one million naira (approximately $655/£485) per person. Manniru Haidara Kaura, the local government chairman, expressed outrage, stating that the victims, mainly youths, were "slaughtered like rams." Following negotiations, 18 hostages, including 17 women and a young boy, were released after the ransom was paid, but the fate of the remaining captives was dire. As Kaura lamented, only the kidnappers know their motives for such senseless actions, emphasizing the lack of regard for human life.
