Zamfara Governor Bello Matawalle has secured the release of 26 girls, all of them minors, from bandits without payment of ransom.
The girls, who were kidnapped by bandits in Faskari local government area of Katsina, were taken to bushes in Zamfara state but released through negotiations spearheaded by Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Dauran.
Matawalle, who received the rescued girls, said his administration will not abandon the peace dialogue with bandits as firepower alone cannot solve banditry.
He said: “This is a testimony to our vision for engaging the bandits in a peace dialogue.
“For those who believe we are wrong to dialogue with the bandits, the securing of these minors who are all girls, unhurt, is indeed priceless”.
The rescued girls, between 8 and 12, were medically checked and provided with new clothes.
Matawalle ordered their safe return to Katsina.
This latest rescue brings the total number of those released by bandits in the last one week to more than 40.

By Sanni Muhammad Sanni