ONSA, DSS Rescue 3 Kidnapped Zamfara Imams Abducted on Prayer Trip for Tinubu
Last update: November 5, 2026
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Three Imams prayed for the President and were kidnapped for it. Now, they've finally come home.
In a major breakthrough, security operatives have rescued three of the six Islamic clerics abducted in Zamfara State, cbinews.tv reports.
According to cbinews.tv, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), working with the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force, pulled off an intelligence-led operation in Gusau.
The victims were recovered unharmed, given medical checks and debriefed. They are stable and will soon be handed over to the Zamfara State Government to reunite with their families. Zamfara Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmad Muhammad Bello, has confirmed the rescue.
But three Imams are still out there.
This wasn't just any journey. On 12 September 2026, six Imams were travelling to Talata Mafara for a special prayer session for President Bola Tinubu when bandits ambushed them at 11:30 a.m. along the lonely Dakko-Damri feeder road, near Sububu Forest in Bakura LGA.
Their kidnappers then demanded N30 million.
It’s a stark reminder of the human cost of insecurity. These are community leaders, fathers, spiritual guides - targeted while on a mission of peace. When clerics aren't safe on our roads, who is?
Zamfara sits at the heart of Nigeria’s banditry crisis. Sububu Forest, where they were taken, is one of the notorious corridors linking Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina where armed groups operate.
According to data from security trackers, Zamfara has recorded over 1,100 kidnap-related incidents in the last three years alone, despite multiple military operations like Operation Hadarin Daji and the state’s non-kinetic peace deals.
The fact that ONSA itself had to coordinate this rescue shows how the Federal Government is now taking a direct, intelligence-led approach rather than leaving it to state commands alone.
Security agencies say the hunt is still on. Operations are ongoing to track the gang and free the remaining three Imams still in captivity.
They are also appealing to residents: if you see something, say something. Timely, credible intel is key to breaking these forest networks.
This is a win, but it’s half a win. We wait for the other three to come home.
#Zamfara #Banditry #ONSA #DSS #NigeriaPolice #Insecurity #NorthernNigeria #Kidnapping #BreakingNews #CbinewsTv
Written by Babatimilehin kayode
Posted by Babatimilehin kayode · Last updated: November 5, 2026
