Bandits who abducted six Islamic clerics in Zamfara State have demanded N30 million ransom for their release.
The clerics were kidnapped last Saturday along the Dakko-Damri feeder road in Bakura Local Government Area while travelling to Talata Mafara for a meeting.
A resident of Dakko village, Malam Muhammad Ibrahim, who confirmed the development, said the driver abducted alongside the clerics had regained his freedom after his family paid N2 million ransom.
According to him, eight people were abducted during the incident, including five Imams, their driver and two other people who were returning from a farm.
“We heard that the bandits demanded only N300,000 each and two 25-litre jerrycans of petrol as ransom for the two men abducted on their way from the farm. For the driver, the bandits collected N2 million ransom from his family.
“The driver was released today (Saturday) and has since reunited with his family in Kwatsama village. We also heard that preparations are being made for the payment of the N30 million ransom to free the abducted 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,” Ibrahim said.
He appealed to the authorities to intensify efforts to rescue the clerics, expressing concern about their age and the possibility that they could have been subjected to harsh treatment while in captivity.
“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.
A son of one of the abducted Imams, who requested anonymity, said the payment of the driver’s ransom had raised the families’ hopes of securing the release of the clerics.
“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 release of the six clerics, adding that the families hoped the ransom would be raised before the deadline issued by the bandits.
The abducted clerics are 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.
The clerics were reportedly ambushed at Gidan Bature village in Damri Ward, Bakura LGA, while travelling to Talata Mafara to attend a meeting at the residence of former Zamfara State governor and serving Senator Abdulaziz Yari.
A source said the clerics had resorted to feeder roads because travellers had increasingly avoided major highways due to attacks by bandits.
“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.
“We suspect the abductors had prior knowledge of the route the clerics followed. Bakura shares borders with Bukkuyum and Anka. So the clerics travelled through feeder roads from Lambar Bakura to Dambi, and then to Sabon Garin Dambi before heading to Talata Mafara,” the source said.
Malam Hassan Mai-Fanta, Chief Imam of Izala 2nd Mosque in Shinkafi, who also attended the meeting, said he left Talata Mafara before the abducted clerics.
“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.
“This is unfortunate. The bandits spare nobody. If they could have the audacity to kidnap Islamic scholars, then who will be spared? I urge the government to ensure the rescue and safe return of the abducted clerics,” he said.
