Tag: Kidnapping

“I never acted as an intermediary between kidnappers and anyone”, Ndume

Aminu Imam
Ndume denies ransom claims

…Denies ransom claims Senator representing Borno-South constituency, Ali Ndume has denied allegations that he acted as a middleman between kidnappers and the government or private individuals, saying he has never been involved in ransom negotiations. Ndume, who made the denial during an interview on a television programme on Tuesday, was responding to claims by the president of the Borno-South Youth Alliance, Sama’ila Kaigama, who accused him of involvement in handling an alleged ransom for the release of abducted residents of Ngoshe in Borno State. “I have never, directly or indirectly,…

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FG unveils new anti-kidnap strategy, expands intelligence network

Aminu Imam
FG unveils new anti kidnap strategy

…Adopts 112 as national emergency number The Federal Government has intensified efforts to combat kidnapping and improve emergency response across the country by expanding its Multi-Agency Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell to more states, and moving to adopt 112 as Nigeria’s single national emergency number. The anti-kidnapping initiative was unveiled by the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), with support from the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, during the inauguration of the second edition of the ‘Multi-Agency Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell State Expansion Programme and…

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‘279 kidnapped across Nigeria in May’ – Report

Aminu Imam
Mabushi bus terminal

No fewer than 279 persons were kidnapped across Nigeria in May 2026, even as the country recorded 156 violent incidents that resulted in 842 deaths. The figure, contained in new data from Nextier’s Nigeria Violent Conflicts Database, according to a statement yesterday, indicate a rise in insecurity, with violent incidents “by 51.5%, casualties increasing by 90.1 percent, and kidnap victims climbing by 19.7% compared to May 2025”. The data comes amid growing concerns that Nigeria’s peacebuilding efforts are not yielding measurable results despite significant investments by governments and development partners.…

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Afenifere raises alarm over rising kidnapping cases 

Aminu Imam
Afenifere demands

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has expressed displeasure over the rising cases of kidnapping and terror attacks in Yorubaland and other parts of the country. The organisation’s feeling was contained in a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital. According to the organisation, the fact that incidents of terror attacks, including kidnappings, are occurring virtually every day in various parts of the country is giving Afenifere a lot of concern. “Before now, reports of incidents of this nature used to be…

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Plateau: Kidnappers demand ₦42m from 28 abducted travellers’ families 

Aminu Imam
Plateau kidnappers demand

The kidnappers who abducted 28 travellers, including men, women and children, in Zak community, Bashar district of Wase local government area of Plateau State, are demanding a ransom of ₦1.5 million from each victim. The victims were taken on Sunday night while travelling to attend a Maulud event in Sabon-Layi community in the same Bashar district when gunmen ambushed their vehicle, abducting them and abandoning the vehicle. A relative of one of the victims, Ibrahim Musa, told newsmen yesterday that the abductors called the family for ransom, saying their relatives…

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Plateau: 28 travellers to Maulud event kidnapped by militants in Zak community

Aminu Imam
Plateau attack

Gunmen have abducted 28 travellers in Zak community, Bashar district, Wase LGA of Plateau State. A youth leader in Wase, Sapi’i Sambo, confirmed the development, in a telephone interview, saying that the victims included men, women and children. Another resident of Bashar town, Ibrahim Musa, explained that the whereabouts of the victims are still unknown. According to the youth leader, the victims were abducted on Sunday night on their way from Zak village to Sabon-Layi community to attend a Maulud event. According to Sambo, two princes and a religious leader…

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“Kidnapping started in the South, not the North” – Nasarawa Gov.

Aminu Imam
Nasarawa governor

Nasarawa State governor,  Abdullahi Sule, says insecurity, particularly kidnapping, has become a national crisis that no region can afford to ignore, insisting that the phenomenon did not originate in northern Nigeria as widely assumed. Speaking during a television programme at the weekend, the governor described a recent meeting of Nigerian governors as tense and emotionally-charged, reflecting the gravity of the nation’s security challenges. He said, “It is usually very forgetful for us in this part of the world – you know we usually forget things very, very easily – and…

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Kogi: Pastor, wife, worshippers abducted

Aminu Imam
Kogi abduction

…as Govt deploys helicopter, anti-kidnapping squad Kogi State witnessed a frightening escalation of insecurity over the weekend as armed bandits launched coordinated attacks across multiple communities, abducting a pastor, his wife, several worshippers, and motorists in Yagba-East and Yagba-West local government areas. The most distressing attack occurred early Sunday at the newly established Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, Yagba-West LGA, where gunmen stormed the worship centre mid-service. The pastor, identified as Orlando, his wife, and several congregants were taken captive, forcing worshippers and nearby residents to flee in panic.…

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Niger: 10 feared kidnapped in Shiroro LGA communities

Aminu Imam
Niger kidnap

Bandits  have reportedly abducted 10 people from Unguwan-Kawo and Kuchipa villages in Shiroro local government area of Niger State, yesterday. The Niger State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, told newsmen that the incident occurred on Wednesday evening. “On November 26, 2025, at about 8 p.m, a report was received indicating that suspected armed men abducted about ten persons from Unguwan-Kawo and Kuchipa villages, of Shiroro local government area. Effort is being made to rescue the victims,” Abiodun said. Earlier on the same day, another attack was reported in…

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Bandits abduct 7 in fresh night raid on FCT community

Aminu Imam
FCT bandits abduction

Exactly one week after a police officer was shot dead in the Guto area of Bwari, bandits have launched yet another violent attack on the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), abducting six young girls and a 16-year-old boy during a night raid on Gidan-Bijimi, a settlement in Kawu ward on the fringes of Bwari Area Council. Kawu shares a boundary with Kaduna State, and lies close to the Gidan-Dogo and Kweti forests – areas long regarded as transit routes and hideouts for criminal gangs operating along the FCT–Kaduna corridor. Gidan-Bijimi itself…

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