The Zamfara State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of six Islamic clerics along the Dakko–Damri feeder road in Bakura Local Government Area of the state.
The victims, all identified as Imams, were travelling to Talata Mafara on Saturday to attend a special prayer meeting with Abdul’Aziz Yari, Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, when their vehicle was intercepted by armed bandits.
The command’s spokesman, Yazid Abubakar, said the incident occurred at about 11:30 a.m. when the assailants, armed with sophisticated weapons, ambushed the vehicle conveying the clerics and abducted them.
He said the command had since commenced a coordinated operation to rescue the victims.
“Upon receipt of the report, the Divisional Police Officer, Bakura Division, promptly mobilised and led police personnel, including the Violence Crime Response Unit, in collaboration with other sister security agencies, to the scene of the incident,” Mr Abubakar said.
According to him, the security teams had commenced an intensive search operation, combing surrounding bushes in an effort to locate and rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
He said the Commissioner of Police, A.M. Bello, had directed the operatives involved in the operation to intensify their efforts and deploy all available resources towards the safe rescue of the abducted clerics.
Mr Abubakar also appealed to members of the public to provide credible and timely information that could assist the security agencies in rescuing the victims and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
