Armed men, locally known as bandits, have kidnapped six imams in a northern Nigeria, police said on Sunday.
On Saturday, “a group of armed bandits, reportedly wielding sophisticated weapons, laid an ambush along Dakko–Damri feeder road and intercepted a vehicle conveying the victims,” police in the northeastern state of Zamfara said.
“The six victims, all identified as imams, were reportedly travelling to Talata Mafara when they were intercepted and abducted by the armed assailants,” the police statement said. The incident occurred at around 11:30 am local time (10:30 GMT).
Nigerian media reported that the imams were to be guests of Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari. The former Zamfara state governor, a senior official in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was organising a religious gathering at his Talata Mafara home with the aim of praying for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in January.
Search and rescue efforts under way
“The security teams have commenced an intensive search operation, with the surrounding bushes being thoroughly combed in an effort to locate and rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators,” the Zamfara police said.
The bandits reportedly demanded ransom to release the imams, Nigerian media reported.
Nigeria’s Daily Trust reports that more than 2,900 clerics had been invited to the prayer session in Zamfara.
