Breaking: Zamfara University Student Murdered By Bandits Despite Family Meeting Ransom Demands

A wave of sorrow has swept across Zamfara State following the tragic death of Zarah Abubakar Shehu, a 21-year-old student of the Federal University Gusau. She died while in captivity, four months after being abducted alongside her two siblings………READ MORE 

Zarah, a third-year student, was forcibly taken from her home in the Damba area of Gusau during the early hours of Sunday, November 3, 2024, by heavily armed bandits.

Initially, the kidnappers demanded ₦35 million in ransom but later agreed to ₦10 million after negotiations. However, despite receiving the payment, the abductors refused to release Zarah, demanding additional items, including four motorcycles (Boza) and four cartons of engine oil.

After her family and associates struggled to meet these demands, the kidnappers were finally informed of the delivery. Tragically, the captors then disclosed that Zarah had already passed away and had been buried two days prior.

Zarah was the only daughter of her mother and endured months of captivity before her untimely death.

Meanwhile, in Borno State, suspected Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants ambushed a commercial vehicle along the Maiduguri-Banki road. The attackers shot and wounded one passenger while abducting the driver.

The incident, which took place on February 27 at approximately 1:15 p.m. near the abandoned village of Tufa in the Banki Local Government Area, adds to the growing wave of insecurity in the region.

According to eyewitness accounts, the vehicle, carrying six passengers from Maiduguri to Banki, came under fire from armed men on motorcycles. In an attempt to escape, the driver made a sharp U-turn back toward Banki town.

During the assault, a 38-year-old passenger, Mohammed Ali Yaye from Bama town, suffered a gunshot wound to his left leg.

The rising wave of insecurity in northern Nigeria continues to fuel concerns over safety, as communities grapple with increasing attacks by armed groups.