Five Islamic clerics, including Juma’at imams, who were abducted by suspected bandits in Zamfara State have spent at least 16 days in captivity.
The clerics were abducted on September 13 while travelling to Talata Mafara to attend a special prayer session reportedly organised for the success of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
The prayer session was reportedly organised by Senator Abdul’aziz Yari Abubakar, Director-General of Tinubu’s campaign council.
The clerics were ambushed at Gidan Suleiman Bature by gunmen who reportedly opened fire before taking them into captivity.
The victims were identified as Malam Shehu, Liman Yahuza, his deputy, Liman Bala and Na’ibi Tasi’u.
According to reports, the abductors initially demanded N100 million in ransom from the victims’ families before negotiations reportedly reduced the amount to N30 million.
However, sources close to the families told Daily Trust on Monday that the whereabouts of the clerics are now unknown, alleging that the bandits had moved them from their initial hideout.
Efforts by security operatives to rescue the victims had also yielded no positive results as of Monday, September 29.
