SaharaReporters gathered that the victims were kidnapped on November 11, 2025, when armed bandits stormed the community in a deadly attack that left four people killed and at least five others injured.
Residents of Saminaka, headquarters of Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have been thrown into deeper anguish after residents reportedly paid a ransom of ₦40million to terrorists, only for 13 abducted victims to remain in captivity months after their abduction.
SaharaReporters gathered that the victims were kidnapped on November 11, 2025, when armed bandits stormed the community in a deadly attack that left four people killed and at least five others injured.
Meanwhile, the kidnappers initially demanded a staggering ₦300 million for the release of the abductees.
Faced with the threat of losing their loved ones, residents reportedly resorted to desperate measures, selling nearly 3,000 bags of assorted grains and pooling personal resources to raise ₦40 million, which was eventually handed over to the kidnappers.
Despite the huge sacrifice, the terrorists allegedly reneged on the agreement, refusing to release the abductees after collecting the ransom.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the Mobile Phone Dealers Association at Yarkasuwa Market in Saminaka, Malam Rabo Sabo Jan-tsauni, issued a desperate “Save Our Souls” appeal to Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, calling for urgent government intervention to rescue the victims.
Addressing journalists in Kaduna, Jan-tsauni recounted the horror of the November 11 attack, stating that the community had been left traumatised by the killings, injuries and abductions that followed.
“Bandits invaded our community, killed four innocent people, injured five others and kidnapped 13 of our brothers and sisters,” he said.
“They demanded ₦300 million, which we could not afford. We sold almost everything we had—close to 3,000 bags of grains—to raise ₦40 million. Up till today, our people are still in captivity.”
The situation, according to him, worsened on January 7, 2026, when the same bandits allegedly launched another attack on the area, abducting two Fulani women.
Residents say the continued captivity of the abductees despite ransom payments has shattered confidence and raised troubling questions about the growing culture of ransom payment in Nigeria’s conflict-ridden regions.
SaharaReporters previously reported that terrorists, locally dubbed as bandits, abducted a Baptist Church cleric, Pastor Daniel Bagama, and his three daughters at Tudun Bussa village in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
It was gathered that the gunmen stormed the community and began shooting sporadically before heading to the pastor’s residence, where they whisked off the victims to unknown destination.
The Conference President of the Kaduna Baptist Conference, Rev. Ishaya Adamu Jangado, disclosed this in a letter copied to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
“I write to inform you that bandits have abducted a Baptist Church Pastor, Pastor Daniel Bagama and his three daughters at Tudun Bussa village, Chikun local government area of Kaduna state,” the letter reads.
According to him, the incident occurred late on Sunday night, January 18, 2026, at about 11pm, when the attackers stormed Tudun Bussa village in Chikun Local Government Area and abducted the victims.
The Kaduna State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Rev. Caleb Ma’aji Bawa, confirmed the abduction of the pastor and his three daughters.