ONSA, DSS secure release of abducted Imams in Zamfara

In an intelligence-led and highly complex mission that involved the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Department of State Services working in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, there have been successful rescue operations in which three Islamic religious clerics who had been kidnapped on their way to a prayer meeting with President Bola Ahmad Tinubu in Zamfara State have been rescued.

The victims are among the six Imams who were kidnapped on September 12, 2026, by heavily armed criminals when they stopped the clerics on their way at about 11:30 am on the Dakko-Damri road, close to Sububu forest in Bakura Local Government Area, within three kilometers of Damri village of Gidan Suleiman Bature.

The clerics identified among a group including Imam Yahuza, Magawata Abdullahi, Malam Shehu Dakko, Imam Bala Fagon, and Na’ibi Tasi’u were traveling to Talata Mafara to attend a special prayer gathering to seek divine favour for President Tinubu’s administration and political future.

Following their abduction, the captors had reportedly demanded a ransom of 30 million Naira for their release.

A senior security operative involved in the extraction confirmed in Gusau that the three clerics were rescued unhurt following meticulous, intelligence-led maneuvers.

Upon their recovery, the Imams immediately received medical evaluations and expert debriefings. Currently reported to be in stable condition, they are slated for formal handover to the Zamfara State Government to reunite with their families.

Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmad Muhammad Bello in an interview also confirmed the success of the multi-agency collaboration, praising the seamless synergy between ONSA, DSS, and police operatives.

The Security agencies emphasized that tactical operations remain ongoing in full force, leveraging real-time intelligence supplied by local community members to track down the remaining armed bandits and ensure the safe recovery of the three Imams still in captivity.

Operational leads continue urging the general public to maintain a vigilant flow of timely, actionable information to help flush out terrorist elements across the region.