Gunmen have abducted six Imams in Zamfara State, the state police command has confirmed.
The victims were kidnapped on Saturday after armed bandits reportedly ambushed their vehicle along the Dakko-Damri feeder road.
According to the police, the attackers, who were armed with sophisticated weapons, intercepted the vehicle while the Imams were travelling to Talata Mafara.
“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 said in a statement on Sunday.
The Imams were reportedly expected to attend a religious gathering hosted by former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, at his residence in Talata Mafara.
The gathering is reportedly linked to Yari’s political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The police said security teams had launched an intensive search operation to locate and rescue the victims and arrest their abductors.
“The surrounding bushes are being thoroughly combed in an effort to locate and rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators,” the command said.
Zamfara and other parts of northern Nigeria have continued to face attacks by armed gangs who abduct residents and demand ransom for their release.
A report by SBM Intelligence published in August said nearly $6m had been paid in ransom across Nigeria over the past year.
Insecurity, alongside the state of the economy, remains a major issue in the build-up to the 2027 general elections.
