Yakubu Mohammed"I am Dauda's younger brother," the man, flanked by two heavily armed bandits, responded. "We are biological brothers--the same father and mother."
The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has denied knowing a man who claimed, under threat from his kidnappers, to be the governor's brother.
The kidnappers, suspected to be members of bandit groups terrorising the state, released a short video clip of the terrorists interrogating two men with a background voice asking one of them about his relationship with "Dauda."
"I am Dauda's younger brother," the man, flanked by two armed bandits, responded. "We are biological brothers--the same father and mother."
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He was then ordered to implore the governor to send "what (ransom) we asked for." The bandits threatened to kill him if the ransom was not paid.
The two men were kidnapped in Kucheri, a village in the Tsafe LGA, where the bandit groups of notorious Ado Aliero, Dogo Gide and other kingpins terrorise locals.
They said they were kidnapped on their way to a bakery in the area.
'New format'-- Zamfara governor denies family tie with victim
However, the governor, Mr Lawal, denied having a family tie with the victim in a statement by his spokesperson, Suleiman Idris.
Mr Lawal described the incident as a "new ploy by bandits to gain attention and bolster sagging morale of their members."
Noting that efforts were underway to rescue the victims, the governor said he has only one sibling, a woman.
"The government is currently taking steps to ensure the victims' safe rescue and to reunite them with their families," the statement read.
The governor said the kidnap victims were distressed, adding, "This is a new format adopted by the bandits."
The development came after the bandit camp of wanted Bello Turji suffered heavy losses from local security guards believed to be aided by State Security Services (SSS). At least 20 men, including a repentant bandit, Bashar Maniya, who fought on the side of the state, also lost their lives in the battle.
The highlight of the weekend gunfight was the killing of Yellow Danbokolo, a ruthless bandit leader and cousin to Mr Turji.
The video propaganda in which the kidnap victim was forced to feign family ties with the Zamfara governor could not be linked to Mr Turji's group, our reporter understands.
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"The Turji camp has been in disarray since the death of Danbokolo," a local whose name was withheld for security concerns, told this newspaper.
Mr Turji holds sway in the Shinkafi area of Zamfara and Sabon Birni in Sokoto, where he carried out one of the most deadly attacks
PREMIUM TIMES understands that the men shown in the video were kidnapped in the stronghold of Mr Aliero, another wanted bandit kingpin, whose family members were reportedly arrested en route to Saudi Arabia a few weeks ago.
It is, however, not clear whether his group was responsible for what the Zamfara government tagged a new format amid continued offensives against terrorists in the state.
