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Zamfara Abduction: Six Imams Still in Bandits’ Den Two Weeks Later

Published

1 hour ago

September 29, 2026

Zamfara Abduction: Six Imams Still in Bandits’ Den Two Weeks Later

Six Islamic clerics abducted by suspected bandits in Zamfara State have remained in captivity for about two weeks, with their families and communities still awaiting their safe release.

The six Imams were abducted on September 12, 2026, along the Dakko–Damri feeder road in Bakura Local Government Area, while travelling towards Talata Mafara.

The victims were identified as Malam Muhammadu Shehu, Chief Imam of Dakko Juma’at Mosque; Malam Murtala Dakko, Deputy Imam of the mosque; Malam Muhammad Yahuza, Chief Imam of Dogon Madacci First Juma’at Mosque; Malam Magawata Abdullahi, Chief Imam of Dogon Madacci Second Juma’at Mosque; Malam Bala Hogun, Chief Imam of Hogun Juma’at Mosque; and Malam Muhammad Tasi’u, Chief Imam of Kwatsama Juma’at Mosque.

The Zamfara State Police Command said the clerics were travelling in a private vehicle when armed men reportedly ambushed them at about 11:30am.

Following the attack, police operatives and other security personnel launched a search-and-rescue operation to locate the victims and apprehend those responsible.

The police commissioner directed the operatives to intensify efforts to secure the clerics’ release and appealed to residents to provide credible information that could assist the operation.

The Nigerian Army also confirmed the incident but clarified that the clerics were not abducted at the residence of former Zamfara governor and serving Senator Abdul’aziz Yari, contrary to some initial reports.

The Army said intelligence indicated that the victims were abducted while travelling from the Sububu Forest axis in Bakura towards Talata Mafara.

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The clerics were reportedly travelling to Talata Mafara for a meeting at Yari’s residence. Reports said the gathering involved Islamic scholars and prayers linked to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign, although the abduction occurred before the clerics reached the venue.

The case took a more worrying turn after the abductors reportedly demanded ₦30 million ransom for the release of the six Imams.

A resident of Dakko said the bandits initially abducted eight people, including the six clerics, their driver and two other people returning from a farm.

The driver was reportedly released after his family paid ₦2 million, while the two other victims were said to have regained their freedom after their families reportedly paid ₦300,000 each and provided two 25-litre jerrycans of petrol.

The same account said efforts were underway to raise the ₦30 million ransom demanded for the six Imams.

There were also reports that a serving senator from Zamfara had offered to assist with the ransom. However, the chairman of Talata Mafara Local Government Area, Yahaya Yari, later denied reports that Senator Abdul’aziz Yari had promised to pay the ransom.

The reported ransom demand has therefore not translated into any confirmed payment arrangement by the government or the senator.

The prolonged captivity has heightened anxiety among the families and communities of the abducted clerics, particularly because some of the victims are elderly.

Residents have also expressed concern over the security of travellers using rural roads in Zamfara State, where armed groups have repeatedly targeted motorists and residents.

Some community members said travellers had increasingly turned to feeder roads to avoid attacks on major routes. The abduction of the six Imams, however, demonstrated that rural roads remain vulnerable to attacks.

Local vigilantes reportedly pursued the attackers after the abduction and managed to restrict their movement for several hours.

A vigilante involved in the operation said the attackers were unable to move freely with the victims for some time but that the local security personnel eventually withdrew because they lacked sufficient reinforcement and feared that a confrontation could endanger the captives.

The incident has renewed calls for stronger security operations in Zamfara, particularly along routes linking rural communities with major towns.

Despite the passage of about two weeks since the Zamfara Imams were abducted, there has been no confirmed public announcement of their release.

Their families and community leaders are continuing to await their safe return while security agencies face pressure to intensify efforts to locate the victims and bring their abductors to justice.

Zamfara Abduction: Six Imams Still in Bandits’ Den Two Weeks Later

Related Topics:abduction Bandits Featured Imams Zamfara

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Bauchi Woman Arrested After Co-Wife Dies in Alleged Pestle Attack

Published

33 minutes ago

September 29, 2026

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Bauchi Woman Arrested After Co-Wife Dies in Alleged Pestle Attack

A 33-year-old woman, Hauwa’u Haruna, has been arrested by the police in Bauchi State after her co-wife, identified as 43-year-old Jamila Adamu, died following an alleged attack with a pestle.

The incident occurred at about 4:05pm on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at Tafawa Balewa Housing Estate in Bauchi metropolis, where the two women reportedly lived in the same household with their husband.

According to the Bauchi State Police Command, Haruna allegedly picked up a pestle during a confrontation and struck Adamu on the forehead.

The victim reportedly lost consciousness after the alleged assault.

Police said officers from C-Division, Bauchi, were alerted to the incident and responded to the residence. Adamu was subsequently taken to Specialist Hospital, Bauchi, where a medical doctor reportedly confirmed her death.

Her remains were deposited at the hospital mortuary pending an autopsy, while the police commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

The police said the alleged pestle used in the attack was recovered and retained as an exhibit. Haruna was also arrested and taken into custody for questioning.

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The police spokesperson, SP Nafiu Habib, said preliminary findings indicated that the suspect was allegedly acting under what the command described as hallucinations when the incident occurred.

However, the police description does not by itself establish a medical diagnosis or explain the cause of the alleged behaviour. Further investigation, including the circumstances surrounding the incident and any relevant medical assessment, would be required to establish the facts.

The Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation and prosecution.

The commissioner also expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and urged members of the public to seek timely medical and psychosocial assistance for people experiencing serious behavioural or psychological difficulties.

Police have not disclosed a specific motive for the alleged attack or provided details of what triggered the confrontation between the two women.

The incident has consequently remained under investigation as authorities work to establish the circumstances that preceded the alleged assault and the events that led to Adamu’s death.

The case is expected to be subjected to further investigation before any criminal liability is determined through the appropriate legal process.

Bauchi Woman Arrested After Co-Wife Dies in Alleged Pestle Attack

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Lagos Driver Arrested After Police Sergeant Dies During Stop-and-Search

Published

46 minutes ago

September 29, 2026

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Lagos Driver Arrested After Police Sergeant Dies During Stop-and-Search

A 21-year-old Lagos driver has been arrested after a police sergeant was fatally injured during a stop-and-search operation in the Egbeda area of Lagos State.

The deceased officer, identified as Sergeant Johnson Okediji, was reportedly knocked down and dragged beneath a Lexus ES 350 during the incident, which occurred at about 2:20pm on Saturday, September 26, 2026, along Olugbede Street, Egbeda.

The driver, identified by the police as Olumide Olusola, was arrested after officers pursued him following the incident. The Lexus, with registration number FKJ 223 KX, was also recovered and taken into police custody.

According to the Lagos State Police Command, officers were conducting a stop-and-search operation when they flagged down the vehicle.

The command said the driver initially stopped but allegedly accelerated as Sergeant Okediji approached the driver’s side of the vehicle.

The officer was reportedly knocked down and dragged underneath the moving vehicle for several metres despite efforts by other police officers and passers-by to stop the driver.

Okediji sustained multiple fractures and serious head injuries in the incident.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital before being referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

His remains were subsequently deposited at the Mainland Hospital Mortuary, while an autopsy was ordered to assist with determining the circumstances surrounding his death.

The police later arrested Olusola and recovered the vehicle involved in the incident.

However, the suspect has disputed the police account of what happened.

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While being paraded by the command, Olusola reportedly denied deliberately hitting the officer, claiming instead that the vehicle suffered a brake failure as he approached the police officers.

He said he had taken the vehicle to a mechanic the previous day to replace its brake pads and was informed that the work had been completed.

According to his account, he later noticed that the brake was still slipping after he bought fuel on the day of the incident. He said he intended to return the vehicle to the mechanic when the incident occurred.

The competing accounts have not been resolved, and the police investigation is expected to establish how the collision occurred and whether the driver’s actions amounted to a deliberate attempt to evade the officers.

The incident has drawn attention to the risks faced by police officers during stop-and-search operations, as well as the need for motorists to comply with lawful police checks.

Lagos State Commissioner of Police Fatai Tijani said the command would continue to enforce the law while ensuring that officers performing their duties operate within established rules.

The incident was disclosed during the command’s September operational briefing, where the commissioner also gave an account of other arrests and recoveries recorded during the month.

The police said 32 suspects were arrested during the period, while officers recovered 43 vehicles, five pump-action firearms, five locally made pistols, 20 live rounds or cartridges, 15 expended ammunition and about ₦2.5 million in cash, among other exhibits.

The command said investigations into the death of Sergeant Okediji were continuing.

The case is expected to determine the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death, including the suspect’s claim of brake failure and the police allegation that he accelerated after initially stopping for the search.

Lagos Driver Arrested After Police Sergeant Dies During Stop-and-Search

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Rivers Approves State Police Bill as Kano Assembly Starts Consideration

Published

57 minutes ago

September 29, 2026

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Rivers Approves State Police Bill as Kano Assembly Starts Consideration

The Rivers State House of Assembly has unanimously endorsed the constitutional amendment seeking to establish State Police Services in Nigeria, while the Kano State House of Assembly has begun considering the proposal as the nationwide legislative process gathers pace.

All 25 members of the Rivers Assembly voted in favour of the State Police Bill during plenary on Monday, September 28, following consideration of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026.

The bill was transmitted to the 36 state Houses of Assembly by the National Assembly on September 16 for consideration and concurrence.

Rivers Assembly Speaker Martin Amaewhule said the lawmakers had consulted their constituents before taking a position on the proposed constitutional amendment.

He said the proposal would create a constitutional pathway for states to establish their own police services while allowing the National Assembly to prescribe minimum standards for policing nationwide.

The Rivers Assembly’s resolution is expected to be formally communicated to the National Assembly as part of the constitutional amendment process.

Meanwhile, the Kano State House of Assembly has commenced consideration of the bill after lawmakers resumed plenary on September 28.

The Kano Assembly had earlier indicated that it would examine the proposal when it reconvened, with lawmakers expected to scrutinise its provisions before taking a formal position.

The Kano development is part of a wider process involving the 36 state legislatures. The National Assembly has clarified that the State Police Services Bill is the only constitutional alteration proposal so far transmitted to the state assemblies for consideration.

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Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, a constitutional amendment passed by the National Assembly requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly before it can proceed to the next stage.

This means at least 24 of the 36 state assemblies must approve the proposed amendment.

The National Assembly has given the state legislatures a 30-day administrative timeframe to consider and communicate their resolutions, although the Constitution itself does not prescribe that period as a statutory deadline.

The state-level consideration follows the passage of the executive-sponsored State Police constitutional amendment bill by the Senate and House of Representatives earlier in 2026.

The proposed amendment seeks to provide constitutional backing for a decentralised policing structure in which State Police Services would operate alongside the existing Federal Police Service.

The proposal also contains provisions intended to establish national minimum standards and safeguards for state policing.

According to the proposed framework, the Federal Police Service would continue to operate across Nigeria, while individual states that establish state police would have their own police services subject to the constitutional and legislative requirements.

The proposal comes amid longstanding discussions about restructuring Nigeria’s policing system and bringing law enforcement closer to communities.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has previously backed the establishment of state police, saying a decentralised policing structure could complement the existing federal security architecture and strengthen grassroots policing.

The Presidency has also said that any new state policing framework would require provisions covering recruitment, training, funding, oversight, discipline, firearms control, complaints mechanisms and other safeguards before state police services begin operations.

The legislative process has already produced different responses from state assemblies. Osun and Edo have also backed the proposed amendment, while other assemblies, including Oyo, Nasarawa and Gombe, have begun or scheduled consideration of the bill.

The proposal, however, has not yet created State Police Services in Nigeria. It must first secure the constitutionally required support from at least 24 state assemblies and complete the remaining stages of the constitutional amendment process.

With Rivers having endorsed the proposal and Kano now considering it, attention is shifting to the decisions of the other state Houses of Assembly as the State Police Bill moves through the next phase of the constitutional review process.