In April 2014, when more than 200 school girls of Chibok in Borno State were abducted by Boko Haram terrorists which attracted global outrage, Nigerians believed that never again were we not going to witness similar abductions in Nigeria.

11 years after the Chibok abduction, many of the abducted girls have not been rescued.

For over two decades, Nigeria has had no peace with the killings, abductions for ransom and sacking of entire communities by terrorists.

It took the US President Donald Trump’s threat to storm Nigeria gun-a-blazing over alleged Christian genocide for the authorities in Nigeria to show some level of seriousness in the fight against terrorism.

However, there has been no respite from terrorist attacks as the terrorists have renewed their onslaught against Nigerians. Thousands of the victims have been killed; many are living in IDPs camps while thousands of others are still languishing in terrorist camps scattered across the country especially in the north.

From Sokoto to Zamfara, Niger to Kwara, Kaduna, Kogi and Kano, armed groups are holding men, women, children, farmers, students and even monarchs in captivity—some for months, others for years—as the nation watches a humanitarian catastrophe deepen.

What emerges from Saturday Vanguard’s investigation is a grim portrait of a country where abduction has evolved into a full-fledged industry, and ransom—whether paid or not—no longer guarantees survival.

In the past few months, terrorists carried out several operations in Niger state in which several people were either killed or maimed while others were abducted. It is on record that many are still in capacity either for non-payment of ransom while few who even paid the ransom are yet to be released for reasons best known to the abductors.

Although the exact number of those still in captivity in the state cannot be officially ascertained, no fewer than 376 persons abducted from the state are believed to still be held captive by the terrorists.

On September 29th, passengers in two Toyota 18-seater buses were abducted along Zugurma-Ibbi road while another occurred along Mokwa-New Bussa road in Mashegu Local Government Area of the state. The immediate past Chairman of Niger State Universal Basic Education Board, (SUBEB) and a serving Commissioner in the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) (names withheld) were kidnapped.

Our correspondent reliably gathered that despite the huge amount of ransom that was paid to secure the release of the serving commissioner, his abductors are yet to set him free.

On November 15th, 42 people were kidnapped in separate attacks across Mashegu Local Government Area during which 16 vigilante members were killed. On Thursday 27th, 24 farmers including a pregnant woman were abducted in their rice farm in Palaita community in Mashegu area in Shiroro Local Government Area.

Between Sunday, November 9th and Thursday 13th, bandits stormed Dutsen Magaji village where they were said to have abducted 22 persons while 20 other people were also said to have been abducted in the same community as they were praying in the Mosque.

The latest kidnap was that of pupils, students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic school, Papiri in Agwara Local Government Area of the state where 315 people were ferried into the forest two weeks ago.

However, 50 of them were said to have miraculously escaped as they were being taken into the forest. As at now, 265 persons, comprising 239 nursery/primary school pupils, 14 secondary school students and 14 members of staff of the school are still with the bandits in an unknown destination.

12 persons still held captive in Kwara

In Kwara state, no fewer than twelve persons including a monarch are currently being held captive by terrorists.

Oba Ojibara of Bayagan, Alh. Rafiu Salami was abducted last Saturday on his farm in Bayagan in Ifelodun local government area of Kwara state while one Fulani (whose identity could not be ascertained at press time) and had lived in Isapa Ekiti local government for many years was reportedly abducted for close to a month.

Similarly, ten persons abducted in Isapa last week Monday evening around 7pm are still in the captivity of the terrorists.

Over 500 residents held by kidnappers in Sokoto

According to a public analyst and social commentator, Altine Guyawa, no fewer than 500 residents are currently being held captive by armed kidnappers operating across 13 local government areas of Sokoto state. Guyawa described the situation as “a humanitarian disaster that is worsening by the day.”

He said that 260 victims, including women, are being held in Goronyo, Sabon Birni, and Isa Local Government Areas. He explained that in Kware and Wurno Local Government Areas alone, 36 abducted persons remain in captivity as their abductors continue to demand ransom.

In Rabah, Tureta, and Dange/Shuni, kidnappers are still holding 56 victims, many of whom have spent months in harsh conditions deep inside forest camps. Guyawa further revealed that another 136 victims are being held in Illela, Tangaza, Gudu, Binji, and Silame Local Government Areas, with most families unable to raise the millions of naira demanded for their release. He added that an unspecified number of victims are being held in Kebbe Local Government Area in the southern part of the state, where access to communities has become increasingly dangerous.

The analyst also listed several camp locations where victims are reportedly being held, including Charima Kachalla Camp and Charande Camp near Bakolori Dam in Kuka Tara. Others include camps in Sububu Forest in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State, as well as hideouts operated by notorious bandit commanders such as Ali Dan Oga, Kachalla Chomo, and Kachalla Hamisu in the Bakin Ruwa area. Guyawa warned that the growing number of victims reflects a complete collapse of safety in rural communities and a failure of authorities to curb the increasingly organized kidnapping networks.

The rising number of captives, many of them breadwinners, students and vulnerable women, has deepened fear across the state, with communities calling for urgent government intervention before the crisis worsens further.

Over 6,000 kidnapped victims in captivity in Zamfara

In Zamfara state, although there were no official records of the number of kidnapped victims in captivity, it was gathered from members of the communities that over six thousand victims are still being held in over 100 terrorist camps scattered across forests in the state being operated by different leaders.

According to the residents, each of the camps has more than 500 kidnapped victims, some of whom have spent more than two years in captivity because their families could not raise the ransom being demanded by the terrorists.

Investigations revealed that the terrorists abduct hundreds of people for ransom almost everyday and the victims were only released when their families agreed to pay ransom.

It was also gathered that, many of the victims were found to have been killed by the terrorists for staying too long in captivity without meeting the negotiated amount of ransom demanded while in some instances some victims were reported to have been killed even after receiving the ransom from the victim’s families.

In July this year, about 35 kidnapped victims from Banga community in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara state were killed by the bandits after receiving the agreed N35 million as ransom.

I spent seven months in captivity, regained freedom after paying N5m ransom —Victim

Speaking to Saturday Vanguard on telephone, Alhaji Ibrahim Sani Wuya, from Anka Local Government Area, narrated that he was abducted by the terrorists in 2021 and spent seven months in captivity before he was released after he paid N5 million ransom.

He said after he was abducted and taken to their camp, he met hundreds of other kidnapped victims from various communities there and their abductors were well armed with sophisticated weapons.

Wuya then called on the Federal and State Governments to put an end to this insecurity in the country particularly the north which, according to him, has become a big business.

15 yet to be released in Kano

In Tsanyanwa Local Government Area of Kano state, 15 persons comprising 13 females and two males are still being held by their abductors. Bandits late Saturday night attacked Yankamaye village in Tsanyawa Local Government Area of Kano State, killing an elderly woman and abducting three residents.

The incident was said to have thrown the community into panic as many residents were asleep when the armed men stormed the area. The State Police Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, who confirmed the incident, said operatives had already been deployed to track down the attackers. “We are doing everything possible to rescue the kidnapped victims and restore calm to the area,” Kiyawa said.

The gunmen reportedly arrived on motorcycles, parking at the outskirts of the village before proceeding on foot to avoid early detection. The attackers also raided another house, abducting two women, including the sister-in-law of the ward councillor.

Terrorists also carried out attacks in other local governments including Shanono Local Government Area and abducted about 10 residents of the communities. All the abducted persons were yet to be rescued.

Hostages held for several months in Kaduna

An official figure of the kidnapped victims in Kaduna state could not be obtained, however, a recent report on hostage camps in Rijana Forest, near Southern Kaduna, indicated that a number of hostages were held by terrorists in various forest camps.

The report stated that some of the hostages have been held for many months, citing the case of victims abducted in June 2025 who are still being held.

Many victims in Kogi still in kidnappers’ den

In Kogi state, despite ongoing rescue missions by security operatives, many kidnapped victims in the state are yet to be released or rescued. Following recent military and police operations last week, 13 kidnapped victims in different incidents were rescued.

Four of the hostages were rescued in an operation carried out by the police, six were rescued by the Nigerian Army, while three others were freed by local hunters mobilised by the state government.

These rescue operations notwithstanding, many victims are still held captive in the forest by the terrorists, including several members of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Ejiba, who were abducted during church service last Sunday. (Saturday Vanguard)

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