- Comes as Nigerians question ‘selective rescue’ after Adelabu’s sister was freed in 72 hours while Oyo pupils remain in kidnappers’ den
A desperate attempt to restore peace in a troubled Zamfara community has ended in a mass abduction after a notorious bandit leader allegedly seized dozens of village elders who attended a reconciliation meeting in his forest stronghold.
At least 50 elders from Magamin Diddi village in Maradun Local Government Area were reportedly kidnapped after meeting with a feared bandit commander known as Jammo, who controls parts of the Muntsira Forest, according to local authorities.
The incident has sent shockwaves across the state and highlighted the growing risks communities face as insecurity intensifies and some residents increasingly seek direct engagement with armed groups in the absence of lasting peace.
Maradun Local Government Chairman Bello Dosara confirmed the development, revealing that the elders had embarked on the peace mission without informing government authorities.
“I am the chief security officer of Maradun. They should have contacted me at least,” Dosara told LEADERSHIP.
“Nobody informed me because they knew the Zamfara State Government, under Governor Dauda Lawal, has openly prohibited negotiations with bandits.”
According to Dosara, initial reports suggested only 11 elders had been released. However, he later confirmed that 12 captives were freed while 38 remained in the custody of the bandits.
“He released the 12 to go back and inform the community about what happened,” the chairman said.
The mass abduction appears to have stemmed from a request for reconciliation allegedly initiated by Jammo himself following the death of one of his lieutenants during a recent military operation in Kandare village.
A community youth leader, who requested anonymity because of security concerns, said the notorious bandit leader had invited village representatives for discussions after the military offensive.
The source added that Jammo has since imposed additional restrictions on the community, including blocking access to a local market route used by residents.
Police authorities confirmed that security agencies are investigating the incident.
Zamfara Police Command spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said officers had been deployed to the affected area while efforts were ongoing to establish the exact number of those kidnapped.
“We heard what happened in Maradun, though we are not sure of the exact number of elders kidnapped and those released,” Abubakar said.
“I am still following up with the Divisional Police Officer for more details. The division has already deployed personnel to the community.”
The latest abduction comes amid growing national frustration over Nigeria’s worsening kidnapping crisis and increasing public scrutiny of government rescue efforts.
Across social media and in several communities, outrage has intensified over what critics describe as unequal responses to kidnapping incidents.
The debate was amplified after security operatives rescued the sister of former Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu and her twin sons within 72 hours of their abduction in Ibadan, while dozens of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have remained in captivity for weeks.
On Monday, residents of Ogbomoso joined members of the Take-It-Back Movement in a protest demanding the immediate rescue of 46 schoolchildren, teachers and a school principal abducted during coordinated attacks on schools in Oyo State.
Carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs, protesters accused authorities of failing to demonstrate the same urgency shown in other high-profile kidnapping cases.
“This is 25 days that our children and teachers have been in the den of kidnappers,” one protest leader said during the demonstration.
The growing anger reflects a broader national concern over whether security responses are being applied evenly, particularly as communities continue to bear the human cost of mass abductions.
For residents of Magamin Diddi, however, the immediate concern remains the fate of the dozens of elders who left home seeking peace and never returned.
What began as an attempt at reconciliation has instead become another grim reminder of the dangers posed by Nigeria’s increasingly emboldened bandit networks.
