Six Imams Missing After Gunmen Attack Vehicle in Zamfara

A journey to Talata Mafara turned into a kidnapping ordeal on Saturday after gunmen intercepted a vehicle carrying six Imams along a rural road in Zamfara State.

The clerics were seized at about 11:30 a.m. on the Dakko–Damri feeder road in Bakura Local Government Area, according to the Zamfara State Police Command.

Police spokesperson Yazid Abubakar said the Divisional Police Officer in Bakura led officers to the scene after receiving information about the attack.

Other security agencies also joined the operation to locate the victims.

The police did not disclose the identities of the six Imams or explain what they were travelling to Talata Mafara to do.

The circumstances surrounding their journey have attracted additional attention following comments from the Nigerian Army.

Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, spokesperson for the Army’s 8 Division, said the abducted people were reportedly travelling to see Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, a former Zamfara governor and current senator.

The Army, however, said it had not independently confirmed that the victims were clerics.

Osoba also rejected reports suggesting that the abduction occurred at Yari’s residence.

He said people had gathered at the residence for prayers but that no abduction took place there.

Earlier reports had linked the victims to a prayer gathering connected with President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign.

The police have not confirmed that account and placed the abduction along the Dakko–Damri feeder road.

No rescue had been announced at the time of the police statement, while authorities had also not disclosed any arrests.

The incident adds to the security concerns facing Zamfara, where armed groups have continued to carry out kidnappings and attacks, particularly in rural areas.

The latest attack has also highlighted the risks faced by travellers using isolated roads where security coverage can be difficult to maintain.

Police said the search for the six Imams remained ongoing, with other security agencies involved in efforts to locate them and establish the circumstances of the attack.