A tragic bandit attack along the Anka–Maru Road in Zamfara State has claimed the lives of a Civic Education teacher, Mallam Mustapha Maru of Federal Government College, Anka, and a newly admitted SS1 student, Summayah Abubakar.
According to reports, the victims were travelling from Maru Village to Anka when armed bandits ambushed their vehicle, opening fire on passengers. Summayah was struck in the skull during the attack, while the driver also sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The student later died in hospital after being rushed from General Hospital Anka to UDUTH Sokoto.
The teacher, Mallam Maru, was abd¥cted along with other passengers into the bush. The kidnappers later demanded ₦50 million and motorcycles, before reducing the ransom to ₦3 million. Despite the family reportedly raising about ₦3.1 million through negotiations and intermediaries, the outcome turned fatal.
A close associate of the deceased recounted the painful negotiations, saying: “They called Kabiru and demanded N50 million and five motorcycles… after some days, they suddenly reduced the ransom to N3 million.”
He also said communication with the victim eventually stopped: “We never heard his voice again after three days of his being held hostage.”
The bandits later claimed the teacher had been k+lled while attempting to escape, but the family believes he was executed after payment.
Residents of Maru described worsening insecurity, with one community member lamenting: “In our village, we don’t sleep at night. The bandits would come with sophisticated guns… and take our people as hostages.”
Local officials confirmed the incident but noted gaps in reporting to security agencies, while police said they were not officially informed at the time.
The attack has once again highlighted the deepening insecurity in Zamfara’s rural communities, where kidnappings and highway ambushes remain frequent.
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