Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed Bashar Sani, a senior staff member of the College of Education, Maru in Zamfara State, despite his family raising a ransom of ₦20 million, motorcycles and other items demanded by the kidnappers.
Sani, who served as Director of the Management Information System unit of the institution, was abducted on December 22, 2025, alongside his wife, Rashida Bashar, and several other women.
His younger brother, Hassan Sani, confirmed that the victim spent about 42 days in captivity before the family could gather the ransom demanded by the bandits. However, the kidnappers later revealed that Sani had died in captivity before the payment was completed.
According to Hassan, Sani was the only male among the kidnapped victims and was reportedly subjected to severe torture by the abductors. The injuries he sustained, including a fractured leg and multiple wounds, eventually led to his death.
The family only learned of his death when the other captives were released in February after the ransom conditions were met.
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Hassan also disclosed that the family had previously faced similar attacks. In 2022, bandits had kidnapped two of Sani’s wives from his residence and later released them after a ransom payment.
He added that the kidnappers made multiple demands during the latest incident, including cash, motorcycles, call cards, petrol and smartphones, which the family struggled to provide in an attempt to secure the victims’ release.
A close associate of the deceased, Ibrahim Hamida, described Sani as a hardworking man who carried the financial responsibilities of his family and was actively involved in farming aside from his academic duties.
The killing highlights the persistent security challenges facing several communities in Zamfara State, where kidnappings and bandit attacks remain widespread despite ongoing security efforts.