Kidnappers Humiliate State Government with Extortion Tactic
By Luka Binniyat and Mike Odeh
(Kaduna) More than 150 residents of Zamfara State have appeared in a viral video Tuesday (29th July 2025) pleading with the state government to initiate peace talks with their abductors to secure their release.
Zamfara State, Northwest Nigeria, has been ravaged by armed Fulani militia gangs, tagged as “bandits” in local media.
The date of their abduction was not mentioned in the video and the name of the bandit leader responsible was also not disclosed.
The video, however surfaced on TikTok via the handle of a known bandit figure, Ibrahim Musa (@Ibrahim.Musa99). It shows the captive: men, women, and children from various Zamfara communities including Cogon Daji, Danabuce, Kuliya, Bayawa, Magulu, and Gidan Garduwa.
‘We Are Dying of Hunger’
Speaking in Hausa, one of the victims spoke directly to the Zamfara State Government:
“We are people from Cogon Daji, Danabuce, Kuliya, Bayawa, Magulu, Gidan Garduwa, and other communities in Zamfara State. We have been here for weeks. Our leaders (government officials) are flying around with their families, while we are dying here of hunger,” the man said.
“Please, the Zamfara State Government should consider our situation and come to dialogue with our abductors. We are suffering. We are starving. And we are human beings too,” he pleaded.
The abductee claimed that their captors had expressed readiness for peace negotiations, accusing the government of turning a blind eye to their plight.
“We want to tell the Zamfara State Government that what we’ve seen here is that this insecurity is mainly due to a lack of understanding between the government and these gunmen.
“The bandits are saying the government looks down on them, like they don’t know anything or have any rights. But they are saying they’re ready for dialogue as a condition form our release,” he said.
“In our camp alone, there are over 150 people. Other camps have over 200. Some are uncountable. The bandits want to negotiate with government,” he added.
The Zamfara state Government has not issued a statement on the development by filing time of this report.
Ten Major Kidnap Incidents in Zamfara Since 2015
Below is a breakdown of major kidnap incidents that have occurred in Zamfara State since 2015, including some identities of bandits and kidnap-for-ransom figures in some cases.
1. Jangebe Schoolgirls – February 26, 2021
279 girls were abducted from the Government Girls Secondary School in Jangebe. Though officials denied paying ransom, sources indicate a deal was struck.
2. Kuriga School Kidnap – March 2024
137 students and staff were kidnapped from Birnin Gwari county, Kaduna state and later released in Zamfara State. Bandits claimed a ransom was paid, but government denied paying a ransom.
3. Birnin-Magaji Villages – May 2024
Over 100 villagers were kidnapped in coordinated attacks. Bandits involved were not named.
4. Banga Village – February 2025
51 villagers abducted; ₦50 million (approx. $33,250) paid, yet 33 victims were executed.
5. Kakin Dawa Raid – December 2024
Dozens of women and children were taken. Ransom negotiations were ongoing. They are still in captivity:
6. Ganar Kiyawa Massacre – March 2022
Despite an earlier ₦4 million “harvest tax” and ransom, 37 villagers were killed. The Katare gang, which is very active in area was blamed.
7. Bakura and Talata Mafara – March 2022
Katare bandits attacked several villages, killing dozens and kidnapping scores.
8. Zurmi Attacks – June 2021
53 farmers killed, many kidnapped. Bandits demanded ransom; names not disclosed.
9. Massacres in Anka and Bukkuyum – January 2022
Over 200 civilians killed, many abducted. The federal government later declared bandit groups as terrorists.
10. Family Abduction – June 2019
A man, his 3 wives, and son were kidnapped. Ransom was paid but the amount was undisclosed.
Why It Matters to the United States
The sustained attacks by armed groups in Nigeria’s Northwest—particularly Zamfara—mirror the operational structure of terrorist organizations. Though often profit-driven, many of these bandit gangs now overlap with extremist Islamist groups, creating a volatile mix that poses regional threats.
U.S. interests in Africa—ranging from counterterrorism to diplomatic stability—are increasingly at risk as Nigeria’s Sahel Belt becomes a haven for criminal and insurgent actors. Some government agencies, including the United States Institute for International Freedom (USCIRF), insist that not all Fulani militias and bandit gangs are guided by an Islamist ideology.
USCIRF uses terms such as “nonstate armed groups,” “violent extremist organizations,” and “bandit gangs,” when referring to massacres of whole villages in the region. USCIRF acknowledges the existence of different groups including Fulani herders, bandits, and groups invoking religious motivations, and notes their impact on religious freedom.
The Nigerian military, however, since January 2022 has classified all bandit deaths in the Middle Belt of Nigeria as deaths of terrorists. Therefore, the distinction between political insurgents such as Boko Haram and criminals seeking material gain has been blurred by the government itself. TruthNigeria analysts consistently have identified the mercenaries who have slaughtered scores of sleeping villagers in night-time raids throughout the Middle Belt and in the Southeast shouting the slogan “Allahu Akbar!” as Islamists and in virtually all cases as “Fulani Ethnic Militia.”
Many of these groups control territory, impose levies, conduct mass abductions, and operate with impunity, according to a United Nations team of experts (Managing Exits from Armed Conflict) who studied the region.
The U.S. Department of State and allied security services should view the expansion of bandit-terrorist hybrid networks in the Sahel as a critical threat that could destabilize West Africa, disrupt humanitarian aid routes, and empower international criminal cartels.
Luka Binniyat and Mike Odeh report conflict and politics for Truth Nigeria from Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria.
