Zamfara State House of Assembly Speaker, Nasiru Magarya, whose father, Alhaji Abubakar Magarya, was abducted by gunmen recently, has lost the father to the bandits.
The father, who was the District Head of Magarya village, had been kidnaped by bandits eight weeks ago alongside his wife, Hauwa’u and three-week-old baby.
The Speaker’s uncle, Mallam Dahiru Magarya, was also kidnapped, in addition to two other persons.
All the kidnapped victims were rescued on Saturday but the Speaker’s father was not among them.
The Speaker’s uncle, Dahiru, who was among the rescued victims, told newsmen that the Speaker’s father died of a heart attack in the kidnappers’ den.
He said, “One of the bandits’ kingpins, popularly known as Kachalla, informed me that my brother was dead due to heart failure.
“We were separated when they kidnapped us and they took my brother to another camp. It was Kachalla, one of the commanders of the bandits, who told me about the death of my brother as a result of heart attack few hours to our rescue.”
Also, in an interview with newsmen, the widow of the deceased Hauwa’u, said she also learnt of her husband’s death from the bandits.
She said, “I heard them say my husband had died and I was shocked but I submitted everything to Almighty Allah.”
Meanwhile, the Zamfara State Police Command said it arrested 21 bandits and neutralised five others in the operation leading to the victims’ rescue.
Speaking to newsmen in Gusau, the Commissioner of Police, Ayuba Elkana, said, “Eight weeks ago, bandits abducted some people in the Speakers’ hometown, and I am happy to tell you that five of them have been rescued today.
“Since the implementation of the new security measures by the state governor, Bello Matawalle, one month ago, the police and other security agencies have carried out assaults on identified bandits’ locations to ensure that the state is completely rid of activities of recalcitrant bandits and other criminal elements.”
According to the police boss, attacks and abductions have drastically reduced in the state as a result of the commitment and sacrifices of the police and other security agencies.