By Ahmed Abdulkadir

Abuja / Birnin Kebbi – 1 November 2025

Armed assailants believed to be members of the Lakurawa terror group have abducted the Deputy Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Samaila Bambu, in what is shaping up to be a dramatic escalation of insecurity in north-western Nigeria.

According to multiple reports, the incident occurred in the Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State (though precise details remain unconfirmed). Bandits suspected of belonging to Lakurawa startled the lawmaker at his residence and whisked him away under cover of darkness.

Authorities from the Kebbi State government and law enforcement agencies are yet to release full official details, though the state’s vulnerability to attacks by the Lakurawa group is well documented.

The abduction of a high-ranking legislative official marks a significant shift in the tactics of bandits/terrorists in the region, who have mostly targeted rural villages, herders and farmers until now. For the state government and security agencies, this raises the stakes in the fight against insurgency and highlights glaring lapses in protection of public officials.

Analysts say that when political figures become targets, it signals deeper instability and a challenge to the rule of law and governance in the affected region.

The group known as Lakurawa is among the newer terror/bandit-organisations operating in north-western Nigeria. While multiple bandit factions are active in the region, Lakurawa has drawn attention for aggressive raids, kidnappings and attacks on border communities in Kebbi and neighbouring Sokoto State.

While no formal statement has yet been released by the Kebbi State Government confirming all circumstances of the senate speaker’s abduction, security agencies are understood to have launched man-hunts and established perimeter checkpoints in the affected LGAs.

Residents of Bagudo and nearby communities have reportedly been placed on high alert, with local vigilante groups mobilising in cooperation with security operatives.

The lawmaker’s captivity and condition remain unknown; there is currently no verified ransom demand or communication from the abductors.

The incident threatens to deepen the climate of fear across Kebbi State and the broader north-west region. It could further hinder agricultural productivity, heighten displacement of vulnerable communities and place additional strain on already overstretched security infrastructure.

For the state assembly and political class in Kebbi, the abduction may impact governance and legislative oversight at a time when security is already a major concern.