Islamic Cleric Dies in Bandits’ Captivity as Family Struggled to Raise Ransom
A prominent Islamic cleric of the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah wa Ikamatis-Sunnah (JIBWIS), Alhaji Muhammad Maibarga, has died in captivity after being abducted by armed bandits in Kebbi State, despite ongoing efforts by his family and associates to secure his release.
Maibarga was kidnapped alongside a former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Koko/Besse Local Government Area during an attack by gunmen suspected to be bandits.
His death was confirmed on Wednesday by the Kebbi State Police Command.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, said the police were aware of reports concerning the cleric’s deteriorating health condition while in captivity.
“We are aware of reports concerning the victim’s deteriorating condition and death in captivity,” Usman told journalists.
Before his death, a video allegedly released by the abductors had shown the cleric in a visibly frail and worsening health condition, sparking concern among relatives, associates and members of the Islamic community.
A family associate, Usman Aliyu, disclosed that negotiations for the cleric’s release were ongoing when news of his death emerged.
According to him, family members and well-wishers had been making frantic efforts to raise the ransom demanded by the kidnappers in the hope of securing his freedom.
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“They were still trying to raise the money demanded by the bandits so that he could regain his freedom, but we were devastated by the news of his death in captivity,” Aliyu said.
The tragic incident has once again highlighted the growing human cost of banditry and terrorism across northern Nigeria, where clerics, farmers, traders, traditional rulers, students and other ordinary citizens have increasingly become targets of abduction, extortion and violence.
Security analysts note that contrary to attempts by some groups to portray insecurity through ethnic or religious lenses, Muslims in northern Nigeria remain among the biggest victims of banditry and terrorism. Thousands of Muslim communities across states including Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger and parts of the North-East have suffered killings, mass abductions, displacement and destruction of livelihoods at the hands of criminal gangs and terrorist groups.
Islamic scholars have also been frequent targets. Over the years, several clerics have been kidnapped, killed or forced to flee their communities due to escalating attacks by armed groups operating in rural areas.
The death of Alhaji Maibarga has triggered grief among members of JIBWIS and residents of Kebbi State, with many describing him as a respected scholar dedicated to Islamic teachings, community development and peaceful coexistence.
His death comes amid renewed calls for intensified security operations and stronger measures to protect vulnerable communities from the activities of bandits and other criminal elements operating across parts of northern Nigeria.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts were ongoing to secure the release of the second victim abducted alongside the late cleric.
By PRNigeria
