Bandits Kill Zamfara Cleric After Family Pays ₦2 Million Ransom
Bandits have killed Malam Zainu AB Mada in Zamfara State despite his family paying a ransom of ₦2 million, handing over two mobile phones, and providing ₦70,000 worth of airtime.
According to SaharaReporters Malam Zainu’s funeral prayer was held on Thursday, days after he was abducted along the Kwatarkwashi–Mada highway, a route notorious for repeated attacks by armed gangs.
A Katsina-based security expert, Mallam Bakatsine, told reporters on Friday that the victim was kidnapped while travelling the highway, which has become increasingly dangerous for commuters and residents.
Locals confirmed that, even after the family met the kidnappers’ demands in full, Malam Zainu was killed.
The ransom included ₦2 million, two mobile phones, and ₦70,000 in airtime, but the payment did not save his life, raising fears that paying ransoms no longer guarantees abductees’ safety.
The killing reflects a growing pattern in Zamfara and neighbouring states, where victims are executed despite families complying with kidnappers’ demands.
Zamfara has remained a hotspot for banditry, with frequent reports of mass abductions, village raids, killings, and attacks on highways. Residents say they continue to live in fear, particularly those who depend on road travel for farming, trade, and daily activities, despite repeated assurances from government and security agencies.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
