Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A troubling security breach has come to light in Zamfara State, where three newly passed-out Nigerian Army personnel have been abducted by suspected bandits while travelling to their home base in Kebbi State, with the kidnappers initially demanding a staggering N50 million ransom before reducing the amount to N5 million per captive. The incident, which occurred on July 2, 2026, has exposed alleged negligence by military authorities, as the soldiers were reportedly dropped off in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, rather than being transported directly to their final destination in Zuru, Kebbi State. More than 13 days after the abduction, families of the victims say they have received no official response or indication of any rescue operation from the Nigerian Army.
According to information obtained by SaharaReporters, the soldiers had just completed their passing-out exercise at the 26 Nigerian Army formation in Kaduna State when the military was expected to transport them to Zuru in Kebbi State. However, instead of taking them to their final destination, the soldiers were allegedly dropped off in Gusau late in the evening and instructed to continue the remainder of their journey on their own the following morning. Sources familiar with the incident said the stranded soldiers, alongside other passengers travelling to Kebbi, boarded a commercial vehicle from a motor park in Gusau the next morning. While travelling through the Anka axis of Zamfara State, the vehicle was reportedly ambushed by heavily armed bandits, who abducted the occupants, including the three soldiers and the driver.
A security analyst who confirmed the incident in a video posted on social media revealed that six soldiers were initially among those travelling after the passing-out parade, but three managed to escape during the attack. He, however, said only one of the three escapees had been accounted for, while the whereabouts of the remaining two were still unknown. "According to reports, because I have spoken with the families of these soldiers, this year they were given pass after they passed out from Kaduna," the analyst said. "Normally, the Army was supposed to drop them in Zuru, Kebbi State. But they transported them only to Gusau in Zamfara State and dropped them there. It was already late, so they told everybody to find their way the following morning".
Speaking on the ransom demands, the analyst said the kidnappers initially demanded N50 million, but later revised the amount. "At first, they demanded N50 million. Later, they reduced it to N5 million for each person," he said. He added that the families had contacted the Nigerian Army immediately after learning of the abduction but alleged that the military had yet to respond. "I asked the families whether they had informed the military. They told me they had contacted the military about the incident, but the military has not responded and has not done anything about it". Pointing to photographs of the victims, he identified the three soldiers among those abducted, noting that one of them was even wearing his military uniform at the time of the attack.
The families of the abducted soldiers are said to be devastated and financially incapable of meeting the ransom demands. According to the analyst, "the families are crying because they don't have the money. They don't have anything. They cannot raise such an amount". Describing the incident as alarming, the analyst said: "This is very sad and shameful. Bandits kidnapping military personnel—it keeps getting worse every day. Imagine soldiers who had just completed their training and were simply travelling home before beginning active service being kidnapped".
The abduction has renewed concerns over the worsening security situation in Zamfara State and the continued vulnerability of both civilians and security personnel travelling through routes frequently targeted by armed bandits. The Nigerian Army has yet to issue an official statement on the incident, and there has been no indication of any rescue operation more than two weeks after the abduction. As the families of the kidnapped soldiers wait in anguish, the incident raises troubling questions about the military's duty of care to its personnel and the apparent abandonment of newly trained soldiers in one of Nigeria's most insecure states.
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