Bandits now demand cigarettes, marijuana as ransom from communities

Bandits terrorising communities in the Munya local government area of Niger State have asked for packs of cigarettes and rolls of marijuana as ransom from residents to secure the release of their kidnapped relations.

The affected residents have been making the deliveries in their desperation to secure freedom for their loved ones.

Bandits had recently kidnapped some residents of Zazzaga, Cibani and other neighbouring communities in the local government area.

“Your relation is in captivity, whatever you can do to secure their release, you do not hesitate to do it. There were some children that they kidnapped during one of the previous attacks on their farms. The families have taken the items they demanded to them, and some of them have been released,” the source said.

He said the families also delivered to the bandits maize flour, packs of seasoning cubes and five jerry-cans of petrol, as demanded by the kidnappers.