After a prisoner-swap deal between bandits and Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State, 30 persons in the custody of the bandits have reportedly been released. 

The governor received the kidnap victims on Saturday, September 14, 2019.

According to TheCable, out of the 30 victims, eight are from Kankara local government area while 18 are from Shimfida in Jibiya local government council of the state.

The victims were reported to have been brought to the state government house by one of the bandits, who disclosed that the victims were held at Damsadau forest in Zamfara state.

While receiving the victims, the governor said the he would continue to persuade the bandits to release more until there was none in their custody.

Masari also promised to take the victims to hospitals for check ups before they are reunited to join their families.

Narrating her ordeal, one of the victims, Zinatu Sani, said she was kidnapped with two of her children from her home.

She added that she and other victims slept in an open space for 55 days despite the weather condition.

She also said that the bandits earlier demanded N20m from her family, but later reduced it to N6m.

Despite the reduction, Sani said her family could not pay the ransom, adding that many victims are still in the forest.

In the past few months, there was an increase in the spate of kidnapping in Katsina state, as bandits invade villages to kidnap and kill residents of the villages.