Troops Rescue 41 Travellers as Bandits Attack Senegal-to-Kano Vehicle in Zamfara

Troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA have rescued 41 travellers after suspected bandits attempted to abduct them when their vehicle broke down along a highway in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The travellers were reportedly travelling from Senegal to Kano State when their commercial vehicle developed a mechanical fault, leaving them stranded along the road.

The armed attackers reportedly seized the opportunity to target the passengers and attempted to move them away from the vehicle.

However, troops of Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, responded after receiving actionable intelligence about the attack and moved swiftly to the location.

The intervention forced the suspected bandits to abandon the travellers and flee into nearby farmlands.

The military said all 41 passengers were rescued unharmed. The group comprised 24 men, 10 women and seven children.

The rescued travellers were subsequently taken to safety and were expected to receive necessary support before being reunited with their families and relevant transit authorities.

Troops also remained in the area to secure the route and pursue the fleeing attackers.

The identities of the suspected bandits were not immediately disclosed, and there was no official confirmation that any of the attackers were killed, injured or arrested during the operation.

The rescue occurred amid intensified military operations against banditry and kidnapping in Zamfara State, particularly along roads and rural communities considered vulnerable to attacks.

Just two days earlier, troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA had reportedly foiled separate kidnapping attempts in Tsafe and Maru local government areas, rescuing 10 other victims.

Along the Tsafe–Funtua Road, troops responded to gunshots around the Kwanoni axis and encountered suspected bandits.

The attackers reportedly set a Sharon vehicle on fire while attempting to abduct its occupants. The occupants escaped before the vehicle was completely consumed by fire.

READ ALSO:

• Osogbo Food Bonanza Turns Nightmare as Discount Vendor Vanishes With Customers’ Millions
• Obi’s Debt Storm Deepens as Okonkwo Says: ‘I Was Misled’
• Lagos Club Robbery: Police Arrest Suspect After N5m Bounty

Troops also rescued six people from another vehicle that reportedly lost control during the attack. The vehicle was later removed from the road to restore traffic movement.

In another operation at Kade Daba village in Kanoma District, Maru Local Government Area, troops responded to information about an ongoing abduction.

Three victims were rescued during the initial operation, while a follow-up search led to the rescue of another victim.

The latest incident involving the 41 Senegal-to-Kano travellers highlights the continuing security risks faced by motorists and passengers travelling through parts of Zamfara, particularly along isolated sections of major and feeder roads.

The incident also illustrates how vehicle breakdowns can leave travellers particularly vulnerable in areas affected by kidnapping and bandit attacks.

The military has continued to urge residents and motorists to provide timely and credible information to security agencies to assist ongoing operations against armed groups.

There have been conflicting figures in some reports concerning the number of travellers involved in the incident. However, military-linked accounts and several reports put the number of rescued passengers at 41, comprising 24 men, 10 women and seven children.

With the passengers safely rescued, security forces are continuing efforts to locate the fleeing attackers and prevent further attacks on the route.

Troops Rescue 41 Travellers as Bandits Attack Senegal-to-Kano Vehicle in Zamfara

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.

READ ALSO:

• FG Releases 2026–2028 Approved Textbooks, Introduces QR Codes for Tracking
• 24 Hours in Darkness: Iju Ishaga Residents, Businesses Count Losses as Ikeja Electric Fails to Restore Power
• TCAN Honours Dangote Cement Transport for Safety, Logistics Excellence

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

Osogbo Food Bonanza Turns Nightmare as Discount Vendor Vanishes With Customers’ Millions

Panic erupted in Osogbo, Osun State, on Monday after a food distribution outlet offering heavily discounted food items suddenly shut its premises, leaving hundreds of customers stranded and worried over millions of naira reportedly paid in advance for supplies.

The outlet, identified as Global Food Initiative, was located in the Odi-Olowo area of Osogbo, opposite the former NEPA office.

The business had reportedly attracted customers with unusually low prices for essential food commodities, including rice, cooking oil, spaghetti, semovita and other food items.

Customers were required to pay in advance and return after about a week to collect their purchases.

According to reports from the area, a 50kg bag of rice was being sold for about N27,000, far below the prevailing market price. Radio Nigeria reported that 25 litres of cooking oil was offered for N30,000, while a pack of spaghetti was sold for about N10,000.

The attractive prices reportedly drew traders and other residents from Osogbo and neighbouring communities, with some customers placing orders in large quantities for resale or personal events.

But the seemingly lucrative arrangement turned into anxiety on Monday when customers arrived at the premises expecting to collect their goods and found the outlet locked.

READ ALSO:

• Lagos Club Robbery: Police Arrest Suspect After N5m Bounty
• APC Sweeps Enugu LG Election, Wins All 17 Chairmanship, 260 Councillorship Seats
• Passenger Dies After Jumping From Moving Bus In Lagos

Attempts to reach the operators by telephone reportedly failed, leaving customers gathered around the premises demanding answers and seeking the return of their money.

PUNCH reported that one customer, identified as Mistura, said she paid N300,000 for 11 bags of rice at N27,000 per bag. Another customer, Olamide, said she paid N1.2 million for various food items intended for a family wedding.

The newspaper also reported that some participants displayed evidence of much larger payments, with one woman reportedly claiming to have paid N35 million, while another man allegedly presented a receipt showing N10 million.

Vanguard similarly reported that customers presented receipts for payments ranging from tens of thousands of naira to much larger sums, while one trader was alleged to have committed as much as N50 million to the scheme. These figures are claims by participants and have not been independently established as the total amount involved.

Tension reportedly rose at the premises as some angry customers threatened to damage the building housing the outlet’s warehouse.

The development prompted the deployment of policemen to the area to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

The spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the deployment, saying the police became aware of the situation after arriving at the scene to control the growing tension.

According to him, the command had not yet received a formal complaint from affected customers at the time of his statement, but officers were monitoring the situation.

He said the police had discovered at the scene that Global Food Initiative had been collecting money from people with promises of supplying subsidised food items after advance payment.

The incident has revived concerns over schemes that use exceptionally low prices to attract large numbers of customers before collecting advance payments.

For many of those affected, what initially appeared to be an opportunity to beat the rising cost of food has suddenly become a desperate search for their money and answers.

The Osogbo incident also bears similarities to reports of an earlier case in Auchi, Edo State, in July 2025, where a man reportedly sold 50kg bags of rice for N20,000, attracted more than 1,000 pre-orders and allegedly disappeared after collecting advance payments. Reports at the time put the alleged losses at more than N20 million. However, those figures were based largely on social-media reports and were not accompanied by an official police confirmation in the reports reviewed.

The latest development has therefore triggered renewed calls for residents to exercise caution before making large advance payments for commodities being offered at prices substantially below prevailing market rates.

As of the latest reports, the operators of Global Food Initiative had not publicly explained the closure or disclosed when the business would reopen, while affected customers continued to await clarification and possible recovery of their funds.

Osogbo Food Bonanza Turns Nightmare as Discount Vendor Vanishes With Customers’ Millions