The Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed reports that a kidnapped Islamic cleric, Alhaji Muhammad Maibarga, may have died while being held by bandits in the state.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman, said security agencies were aware of the development and were making efforts to verify the situation while continuing operations to rescue other victims still in captivity.
According to him, “We are aware of reports concerning the victim’s deteriorating condition and possible death in captivity.”
He added that security operatives have sustained search and rescue efforts in Koko-Besse and Wasagu Local Government Areas, where cases of kidnapping and bandit attacks have remained a major concern.
POLITICS NIGERIA gathered that the abduction of the cleric was not immediately made public. The incident later came to light after enquiries by journalists and members of the public.
Maibarga was reportedly kidnapped alongside a former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Koko-Besse Local Government Area.
A video that later surfaced online showed the two elderly men pleading for help from their captors’ hideout. In the footage, they spoke about their worsening health conditions and the harsh treatment they were facing.
The former APC chairman said they had been forced to walk long distances through the forest despite old age and illness. He appealed to their families, community leaders and government authorities to intensify efforts to secure their freedom.
The video sparked widespread concern across Kebbi State and on social media, with many Nigerians calling for urgent action to save the captives.
Reports later emerged that the Islamic cleric was unable to survive the ordeal after his health reportedly deteriorated in captivity.
Residents of his community have since held Salatul Gha’ib, the Islamic funeral prayer observed in the absence of a body, as his remains have not been recovered.
The police, however, said efforts were still ongoing to rescue other abducted victims and tackle criminal gangs operating in parts of the state.
