Armed bandits have abducted the Deputy Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Muhammad Bagudo, as kidnappings and attacks continue to escalate across Nigeria’s north-west region.
The 60-year-old lawmaker was seized on Friday night in his hometown of Bagudo, the headquarters of Bagudo Local Government Area, shortly after observing the Isha’i prayers. Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers, armed with sophisticated weapons, ambushed him around 8:20 p.m. and took him to an unknown location.
A combined team of police tactical units, military personnel, and local vigilantes has been deployed to the area to search for the deputy speaker and pursue the abductors.
The Kebbi State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement signed by spokesperson CSP Nafi’u Abubakar, assuring the public that security forces are actively combing bandits’ routes and nearby forests to secure the lawmaker’s safe release.
“The combined team is currently combing the bandits’ routes and nearby forests with a view to rescue the Honourable member unhurt and arrest the perpetrators of this dastardly act,” the police said.
Commissioner of Police Bello Sani reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, urging residents to provide credible intelligence to aid the rescue operation.
Earlier, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Nasir Idris, Ahmed Idris, confirmed the development, saying the governor had been briefed and was in contact with the state’s Director of Security. He assured that the state government is “on top of the situation” and will ensure the lawmaker’s safe return.
The abduction of the deputy speaker underscores a growing wave of insecurity in Kebbi and neighbouring north-west states, where armed groups continue to terrorise rural communities despite ongoing peace initiatives and security operations.
