Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The abductors of six Islamic clerics in Zamfara State have demanded a ransom of N30 million for their release, according to a community source in Dakko village, Bakura Local Government Area. The clerics were kidnapped last Saturday along the Dakko-Damri feeder road while travelling to Talata Mafara to attend a meeting at the residence of former Zamfara State governor and serving Senator Abdulaziz Yari. The incident occurred at Gidan Bature village in Damri Ward, where the bandits ambushed the clerics and took them into the forest.
A resident of Dakko village, Malam Muhammad Ibrahim, confirmed the development, stating that eight people were abducted during the attack. The victims included the six clerics, their driver, and two other persons who were returning from a farm. The driver was released on Saturday after his family paid N2 million to the abductors. The two farm workers were also reportedly released after their families paid N300,000 each and provided two 25-litre jerrycans of petrol. "The driver was released today and has since reunited with his family in Kwatsama village," Ibrahim said. "We also heard that preparations are being made for the payment of the N30 million ransom to free the abducted Imams."
The abducted clerics have been 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 1st Juma'at Mosque; Malam Magawata Abdullahi, Chief Imam of Dogon Madacci 2nd 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. They were reportedly ambushed while using the feeder road from the Bakura axis towards Talata Mafara.
A source familiar with the incident said travellers had increasingly abandoned major highways because of repeated attacks and were using alternative routes. "You know that in an effort to escape bandits, travellers have deserted major roads. We now resort to feeder roads for safety. Unfortunately for the clerics, the bandits staged an ambush along the Dakko-Damri feeder road and abducted them," the source said. The source also suspected that the attackers may have known the route the clerics were taking. Bakura shares borders with Bukkuyum and Anka, and the clerics reportedly travelled through feeder roads from Lambar Bakura to Dambi, then to Sabon Garin Dambi before heading to Talata Mafara.
A son of one of the abducted Imams, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the release of the driver had given the families renewed hope that their relatives would soon regain their freedom. "This new development has raised our hope regarding the return of our fathers and the other religious leaders," he said. He confirmed that the abductors had demanded N30 million for the six clerics and said the families were working towards meeting the ransom demand before the deadline given by the bandits.
Ibrahim, the community source, appealed to the government to intensify efforts to secure the immediate release of the clerics. He expressed concern over their age and the conditions in which they may be held. "The Imams are aged and their stay in the bandits' den alone could make their health conditions deteriorate. The government should therefore hasten efforts to free them," he said. He also stated that a serving senator from Zamfara State had reportedly pledged to pay the ransom to free the Imams. "According to reliable information, a serving senator from Zamfara State has pledged to pay the ransom to free the Imams. We hope this won't take long," he said.
The abduction occurred while the clerics were on their way to a special prayer session organised for peace and the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid. The prayer session was organised by the Director-General of the Tinubu 2027 re-election campaign council and former Zamfara State governor, Senator Abdul'aziz Yari Abubakar. The event was expected to bring together 2,933 Imams for special prayers. Malam Hassan Mai-Fanta, Chief Imam of Izala 2nd Mosque in Shinkafi town, who attended the meeting with the abducted scholars, said he had left Talata Mafara before the clerics were abducted. "I also attended the meeting at Senator Abdulaziz Yari's residence, but those of us from Shinkafi Local Government left Talata Mafara town earlier than the abducted scholars. I only heard about their abduction yesterday," he said.
The Nigerian Army has clarified reports surrounding the abduction, stating that the victims were not kidnapped at the residence of Senator Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari in Talata Mafara. The Army described the reports as misleading and said no cleric was abducted at Yari's residence. The clarification came after initial reports suggested the clerics were taken from the senator's home, a claim that the military refuted.
The Zamfara State Police Command has launched a coordinated rescue operation to secure the release of the clerics. The police confirmed that the clerics were abducted on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at about 11:30 a.m. by suspected armed bandits who reportedly wielded sophisticated weapons. The operation is ongoing, but the families of the abducted clerics are growing increasingly anxious as the days pass. The N30 million ransom demand is a staggering sum for the families of the Imams, who are respected religious leaders in their communities but not wealthy individuals. The fact that a serving senator has reportedly pledged to pay the ransom offers a glimmer of hope, but the families are still waiting for the ordeal to end.
The incident has deepened concerns about the security situation in Zamfara State, where bandit attacks and kidnappings have continued to affect communities. The abduction of religious leaders travelling to a prayer gathering for peace and national unity is a stark reminder of the impunity with which armed groups operate in the region. As the families wait for news of their loved ones, the question on everyone's mind is whether the ransom will be paid in time and whether the clerics will return home safely. For now, the community of Dakko and the families of the abducted Imams can only hope and pray.
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