The killing of a senior administrator at the College of Education Maru, Bashar Sani, has once again drawn attention to the worsening insecurity gripping rural communities in Zamfara State, where families frequently pay huge ransoms to kidnappers yet still lose their loved ones.
Investigations reveal that Sani, widely respected in his community as an educator and public servant, had paid approximately ₦25.7 million in ransom and other demands over several years in desperate attempts to secure the release of relatives abducted by bandits.
In the end, despite those payments, he would become their victim.
A Cycle of Abductions
According to family members and community sources, the ordeal began several years ago when armed bandits raided the family’s home in Tsohon Tasha, Maru Local Government Area, abducting Sani’s two wives.
Determined to secure their freedom, he reportedly paid about ₦2 million to the kidnappers.
But the payments did not end the attacks.
Months later, the bandits returned and kidnapped his younger brother, Hassan Sani, plunging the family into another round of negotiations.
Hassan confirmed that his brother paid ₦3.5 million to secure his release.
“In addition to the ₦3.5 million he paid for my freedom, the kidnappers also demanded airtime recharge cards and mobile phones, which he also provided,” Hassan said.
A Desperate Move for Safety
Traumatized by repeated attacks, the family relocated to the Shiyyar ’Yan Hudu area of Maru, hoping the more densely populated neighbourhood would provide safety.
For about 18 months, they lived without incident.
Then the bandits returned.
Gunmen stormed the area, abducting Sani, one of his wives—who had previously been kidnapped—and his daughter, along with several other residents.
During the same raid, attackers reportedly killed the wife of a policeman and abducted her five children.
Escalating Demands
The kidnappers initially demanded ₦20 million for the release of Sani and his relatives.
Family members say the ransom was paid in full.
But the criminals continued to escalate their demands.
In addition to cash, they demanded motorcycles, four mobile phones, and airtime recharge cards worth ₦200,000, all of which were delivered.
“They later demanded 15 motorcycles, but after negotiations they reduced it to three motorcycles, which we also bought and delivered,” Hassan said.
After receiving the motorcycles, the kidnappers instructed the family to return home and wait for instructions on collecting the hostages.
A Grim Discovery
Days later, the family received directions to Gidan Kano village, Maradun Local Government Area, where the captives were said to have been released.
When relatives arrived, they found Sani’s wife, daughter, and several other victims.
But Sani was missing.
“When we asked about him, his wife told us that he had already died while in captivity,” Hassan said.
Further accounts suggest he died in the bandits’ camp after enduring prolonged torture and untreated medical complications, including a fractured leg sustained during captivity.
A Symbol of Northern Nigeria’s Security Crisis
Residents of Maru described the killing as a tragic reflection of the deepening security crisis across rural communities in Northwest Nigeria, where armed bandit groups continue to carry out kidnappings for ransom with little fear of consequence.
Community leaders said Sani devoted his life to education and public service and was widely admired for his commitment to the development of young people in the region.
His death, they said, has renewed calls for stronger security interventions to protect vulnerable communities across Zamfara and other parts of northern Nigeria.
For many residents, however, the tragedy also underscores a painful reality: in many rural areas, even paying millions in ransom offers no guarantee of survival.
