No fewer than 200 people abducted by bandits have been released from bandits’ den via dialogue, says Zamfara acting governor Nasiru Magarya.

Mr Magarya, the speaker of the state assembly, made this disclosure when receiving the delegation of the Conference of Speakers of States Legislatures in Nigeria, in Gusau.

“I am happy to inform you that the state government has secured the release of over 200 kidnapped victims through peace and dialogue, initiated by the present administration led by the state governor,” Mr Magarya told his visitors.

The delegation had paid him a condolence visit over the death of his father, Mu’azu Magarya, who died in bandits’ custody.

Mr Magarya commended the forum for the visit, adding that the lingering security challenges facing Zamfara had been a concern to the Governor Bello Matawalle-led administration.

He, however, reassured the visitors and people in the state of the government’s commitment to addressing the security challenges facing the state.

Mr Magarya noted that the released abductees were on their way to Gusau, the state capital, as he spoke and would arrive any moment.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Speakers’ Conference Alhaji Sulaiman, said the visit was to sympathise with the Zamfara Speaker, his family and people of the state, over the demise of his father.

“We were mandated by the conference to come to Zamfara despite the security challenges facing the state,” Mr Sulaiman said.

(NAN)