Zamfara Police Confirm Rescue of Three Kidnapped Clerics

The Commissioner of Police in Zamfara State, CP Muhammad Bello, has confirmed that three of the six Islamic clerics kidnapped on September 12 while on their way to Talata Mafara have been rescued.

Bello shared this update in an interview with some reporters on Friday in Gusau.

He explained that the rescue happened thanks to teamwork between the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, and police operatives.

The CP added that security operations are still ongoing, using real-time information from local community members to find the remaining armed bandits and get the other clerics back safely.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that this rescue was part of a high-stakes collaboration among the ONSA, DSS, and the Nigeria Police Force. The clerics were kidnapped while heading to a special prayer session for President Bola Tinubu in Talata Mafara, Zamfara State.

According to PUNCH Online, the Nigerian Army confirmed that some Islamic scholars were taken but denied that the clerics were kidnapped at the home of former governor Abdul’aziz Yari.

The Army mentioned that the victims were taken while traveling from the Sububu forest area in Bakura Local Government Area to Talata Mafara.

In September, the police had also announced that they started operations to rescue the abducted clerics.

The clerics are identified as Imam Yahuza, Magawata Abdullahi, Malam Shehu Dakko, Imam Bala Fagon, and Na’ibi Tasi’u. They were on their way to a prayer gathering to ask for divine support for Tinubu’s administration.

Their kidnappers reportedly demanded a ransom of N30 million for their release.

A senior security officer involved in the rescue confirmed that the three clerics were brought back unharmed after careful, intelligence-led operations.

Sources say the clerics were in stable condition after being checked by medical professionals and debriefed.

The security teams confirmed that the three clerics would soon be handed over to the Zamfara State Government to reunite with their families.

The police command assured the public that operations would continue and encouraged everyone to share timely information to help remove terrorist threats in the area.