In Nigeria, bandits get ransom, kill 33 captives

BANDITS in northwestern Nigeria's Zamfara state have slaughtered 33 people they had kidnapped in February despite receiving a $33,700 ransom, while three babies died in captivity, local officials and residents said Monday.

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Zamfara and other states in central and northwestern Nigeria have for years been terrorised by criminal gangs who carry out deadly raids, kidnappings and arson attacks. "The bandits released only 18 of the 51 people they kidnapped from our village and when we asked (the freed hostages) about the 33 others they said they had been slaughtered by their captors," Kasimu Ibrahim, a resident of Banga villag