Five children of a former Accountant General of Zamfara State, Abubakar Bello Furfuri, have regained their freedom from the hands of armed bandits.

The girls were released on Monday, seven months after terrorists had abducted them. It was also gathered from local sources in the North West that a huge amount was paid as ransom to facilitate the victims’ release.

Gov. Bello Matawalle on Monday received the five daughters of the former Accountant-General of Zamfara, abducted and held for seven months.

They were presented to Gov. Matawalle by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 10, Mr Bello Sani-Deljan, accompanied by the Commissioner of Police in Zamfara, Mr Kolo Yusuf.

Bandits took the five girls from their home in Furfuri in Bungudu Local Government Area in March.

The bandits released a video on social media in October showing the girls carrying sophisticated firearms and threatened to recruit them into banditry if the ransom they demanded was not paid.

Official sources however said that the combined effort of the Police and other security operatives, however, led to the rescue of the girls unharmed.

Gov. Matawalle commended the security forces for efforts made and urged them to put an end to banditry in the state.

He noted that intelligence reports showed that the girls were abducted successfully with support from informants who were either family members or close associates.

The governor appealed to citizens of the state to “courageously fight informants by reporting suspects to the authorities without fear.

“Without informants, bandits will be strongly incapacitated and will easily be defeated,’’ the governor said.

He directed that the girls be taken for proper medical checks and counselling before reuniting them with their family.