Barely two weeks after an abducted teacher in Oyo State was decapitated by bandits, another teacher has been reportedly killed by kidnappers who abducted him earlier this month while in transit.
The slain teacher, Mustapha Yahaya Maru, who taught at Federal Government College, Anka, Zamfara State, was said to have been killed despite paying the demanded ransom.
Maru was kidnapped while on route to Anka when the vehicle in which he was travelling alongside other passengers came under attack by the bandits who later contacted his family demanding a huge ransom.
Unfortunately, despite struggling to raise the agreed sum after much negotiation and the money delivered, Maru was allegedly killed on Tuesday instead of releasing him thereby throwing his family, school and community into deep mourning.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over worsening insecurity in Zamfara State which had gained notoriety for rampant violent abductions.
For example, security analyst Zagazola Makama, reported how on Monday, May 18, 2026, bandits reportedly killed a driver, abducted two local government officials, and injured another person during an attack along Tashar Lawali Road in Talata Mafara local government area.
The attack reportedly occurred around 11:20 a.m. when heavily armed assailants blocked the road near Jangebe District and opened fire on motorists and commuters traveling through the area.
Sources said the attackers specifically targeted a vehicle conveying local government officials before abducting two of the occupants into the bush.
The victims were identified as Jamilu Sani, Director of Planning in Talata Mafara Local Government Area, and Muslimu Habibu, a councillor representing Jangebe Ward.
Another victim, Samaila Ladan, a registration officer attached to the Hajj Affairs Unit of the local government council, reportedly sustained a gunshot wound to his right hand during the attack.
The vehicle driver, identified as Lawali Hakimi, was said to have been shot dead at the scene by the assailants.
