The Nigerian Army has officially refuted widespread reports claiming that Islamic scholars were abducted at the residence of former Zamfara State governor and current lawmaker, Senator Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari, in Talata Mafara Local Government Area (LGA). The military clarified that field intelligence indicates the victims were not taken from Yari's home but were intercepted while travelling from the Sububu forest axis in Bakura LGA towards Talata Mafara.
Yari, who represents Zamfara West in the Senate, serves as the director-general (DG) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) 2027 presidential campaign council. The initial reports, which circulated across multiple media platforms, had suggested that the abduction occurred at his residence, prompting the Army's intervention to set the record straight.
Army's Official Statement on the Abduction Reports
According to The Nigerian Tribune, the Headquarters 8 Division, Nigerian Army/Sector 2 Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, issued a statement on Sunday, September 13, describing the reports as misleading. Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, signed the statement on behalf of the 8 Division, categorically rejecting the claims linking the incident to Yari's Talata Mafara home as "entirely false."
The Army's statement, as reported by Vanguard, detailed that intelligence gathered from the field showed the victims were travelling from the Sububu forest axis in Bakura LGA when they were taken. Notably, the military did not confirm the exact number of victims or the identities of the clerics involved in the incident.
Rescue Operations and Public Warning
Troops have since launched rescue efforts in collaboration with other security agencies and local intelligence networks, according to the Army's statement. The military urged residents to remain calm and provide timely, reliable information to security forces to support the ongoing rescue operation.
The Army specifically warned against the spread of sensationalised or unverified reports, stating that such narratives could create unnecessary public panic and, more critically, jeopardise the rescue mission. The public was asked to disregard any accounts not verified by official sources, as such narratives could "compromise ongoing tactical operations."
Zamfara's Ongoing Security Challenges
Legit.ng reports that Zamfara State remains the epicentre of armed banditry and mass kidnappings in northwestern Nigeria, leading the country in conflict-related casualties and abductions. State authorities and the nation's military have responded through troop deployments, localised telecommunications blockades, and counter-offensives, though security challenges persist across the state's 14 local government areas.
In related incidents, the Nigerian Air Force recently eliminated over 20 terrorists and destroyed 21 motorcycles in Zamfara, while bandits previously abducted the chief imam of Faru Jumu'ah Mosque, Sulaiman Idris Faru, while he was working on his farm in the Faru community. These events underscore the persistent security threats in the state despite ongoing military operations.
