Bandits Kill Businessman, Daughter Despite ₦12 Million Ransom Payment

FCT Police Commissioner, CP Miller G. Dantawaye

Bandits Kill Businessman, Daughter Despite ₦12 Million Ransom Payment

A harrowing case of kidnapping and bandit violence has claimed the lives of Abuja businessman Muhammad Shuaibu and his 19‑year‑old daughter, Fatima Muhammad, even after the family paid a ₦12 million ransom, highlighting the deepening insecurity facing Nigerians. On October 3, 2025, armed bandits stormed the family home in Zhidu community, Tafa Local Government Area, Niger State, invading the compound and abducting Shuaibu along with his two daughters. Fatima, then a student of the University of Abuja, and her sister were taken by the attackers into nearby bushes. A family member said the kidnappers originally rounded up all members of the household before separating the captives and issuing ransom demands.

The kidnappers requested ransom in multiple tranches, which the family paid in hopes of securing their loved ones’ release. The first payment was ₦6 million, followed by ₦4 million, and a final payment of ₦2 million, bringing the total to ₦12 million. The family had to raise funds by selling Shuaibu’s Dei‑Dei Modern Market shop, his private car, and a sachet water production machine, while attempts to sell their house were unsuccessful.

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Tragically, Fatima was killed three months into captivity, with the kidnappers accusing her of being “stubborn,” even as negotiations continued. After the final payment, the ransom bearer was instructed to return home, being told that Shuaibu had died in captivity after falling seriously ill. The family’s ordeal — from abduction, ransom payments, loss of property, to the heartbreaking deaths of father and daughter — illustrates the desperation and human toll of Nigeria’s banditry problem.

Efforts to obtain an official response from the Niger State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the police spokesperson SP Wasiu Abiodun did not respond to multiple messages sent by reporters by the time of filing this report.

Security analysts warn that this case reflects a worsening kidnapping crisis in Nigeria, particularly in the north, central, and border regions, where armed groups abduct residents, demand ransoms, and sometimes kill captives regardless of payments. Recent incidents in states such as Kaduna, Sokoto, and Niger have fuelled fear among travellers, traders, and rural communities. The killings have sparked renewed calls from civil society organisations and residents for more effective anti‑kidnapping operations, enhanced intelligence sharing, and proactive military and police engagement to protect civilians and curb rising banditry.