75 Abducted School Children Freed in Zamfara, Northwest Nigeria

The development comes amid a military operation against the bandits in the state. The government also took measures such as shutting down telecommunication networks, suspending weekly markets and the ban the sale of fuel in jerry cans.

There are reports that suspected bandits had been fleeing the state to escape from the military offensive, but the lack of mobile telecommunication and the closure of some roads to traffic in the state have made it difficult to verify the information.

In what appeared like a move to underscore the success of the military operation, Mr Matawalle last week, said the state government would no longer negotiate with bandits, cancelling his policy of peaceful dialogue with the deadly criminals.

Despite these efforts, a group on Saturday attacked a military base in the state, leaving at least 12military personnel dead.