In a tragic incident, a Nigerian soldier, attached to the 4SF Command in Baga, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, was killed by gunmen suspected to be bandits in Zamfara State. His companion, who was traveling with him, narrowly escaped the same fate at the hands of the bandits.
It was revealed that the soldiers had passes to visit their families in Zamfara. The unfortunate event unfolded along Gusau Road last week while the soldiers were en route to Zamfara State in a commercial bus.
According to sources familiar with the situation, one of the soldiers met his untimely demise for allegedly being uncooperative, while the other was abducted alongside other passengers. The kidnappers have since reached out to the family members of the abducted soldier, demanding a hefty ransom of N100 million for his safe release.
An audio recording obtained corroborates the ransom demand, painting a distressing picture of the soldier’ s plight in the hands of his captors.
” The bandits attacked a bus carrying two soldiers who were on leave to visit their parents in Zamfara State. Upon realizing that one of the soldiers was resistant, they mercilessly ended his life, while the other was taken captive. The kidnappers are now in contact with the soldier’ s relatives, demanding N100 million for his freedom. Both soldiers hailed from the Baga 4SF command, “
Zamfara State, situated in the Northern region, has been grappling with the scourge of banditry for years. These criminal elements terrorize villages, perpetrate violence, and wreak havoc on innocent lives. The state, along with its neighboring counterparts like Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger, serves as a stronghold for these lawless gangs.
In recent times, the bandits have escalated their nefarious activities, resorting to mass abductions, particularly targeting schools. Despite previous peace agreements brokered by the state government, headed by former governor and current Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, the security situation remains dire. Communities continue to suffer from incessant attacks, with residents falling victim to abduction, violence, and loss of life.