In a harrowing development from northern Nigeria, 38 kidnapped villagers from Banga in Zamfara State were executed by armed gangs, despite families paying over ₦50 million (approximately $32,000) in ransom.

The victims were among 56 people abducted in March from Kauran Namoda district. Only 18 hostages mostly women and one boy were released on Saturday and are now receiving medical treatment.

Local officials, including Kaura Namoda chairman Manniru Haidara Kaura, confirmed the killings, describing the victims as “slaughtered like rams.”

Survivors recounted that the executions were carried out one by one during captivity. The bodies are unlikely to be recovered, as abductors rarely return corpses.

This tragedy underscores the brutal impunity of banditry in northern Nigeria, where kidnapping for ransom has evolved into a lucrative criminal enterprise.

Despite a 2022 law criminalizing ransom payments and prescribing the death penalty for abductors who kill hostages, families often feel compelled to pay due to chronic government failure to ensure security.

The incident has sparked renewed calls for military intervention and systemic reform, with local leaders urging federal and state authorities to deploy forces to restore peace and protect displaced communities.

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