Five Islamic clerics abducted by suspected bandits in Zamfara State remain in captivity more than a month after they were seized while travelling to attend a prayer gathering organised in support of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
The clerics were reportedly abducted on September 13, 2026, while travelling towards Talata Mafara Local Government Area for the gathering organised by former Zamfara State governor and senator, Abdul’aziz Yari, who heads Tinubu’s re-election campaign council.
The victims, identified in reports as Juma’at mosque imams and their assistants, were intercepted by armed men around Gidan Suleiman Bature in the Gonar Sarkin Forest area, near Damri village in Bakura Local Government Area.
The incident was confirmed by the Zamfara State Police Command, which said security operatives had intensified efforts to secure the victims’ release.
However, the Nigerian Army clarified that the clerics were not abducted at Yari’s residence, as some reports had suggested. According to the military, intelligence indicated that they were seized while travelling from the Sububu forest axis towards Talata Mafara.
Reports indicated that the abductors had contacted the victims’ families and initially demanded a ransom of ₦100 million, which was reportedly reduced to ₦30 million during negotiations.
The continued captivity has caused distress among relatives and members of the affected communities, who are reportedly uncertain about the clerics’ condition and whereabouts.
A relative of one of the victims previously told journalists that families were struggling to secure their release and were concerned about the progress of rescue efforts.
Security agencies have maintained that operations are ongoing to locate the abducted men, while the military has urged the public to avoid circulating unverified information that could undermine rescue efforts.
The incident highlights the persistent insecurity affecting parts of Zamfara State, where armed groups have continued to target travellers and rural communities.
