One of the seven residents reportedly abducted by suspected bandits along the Bakori–Guga Road in Katsina State has regained his freedom after spending nearly three weeks in captivity.
According to a Facebook post by resident Mahadi Danbinta Guga, Abdullahi Muhammad Dabo was released on Thursday, July 23, 2026. The post claimed that his family secured his release after paying a ransom of ₦1 million.
Abdullahi was among seven passengers reportedly kidnapped on Friday, July 3, 2026, when suspected bandits intercepted a vehicle travelling along the Bakori–Guga Road.
Residents familiar with the victim told our correspondent that Abdullahi had earlier relocated from Guga to Bakori after his marriage because of the prevailing insecurity in his community.
However, he was said to have decided to return briefly to Guga to spend the night before attending to his farm the following day, leaving his wife behind in Bakori. That journey reportedly ended in tragedy when the vehicle in which he was travelling was ambushed by suspected bandits, who abducted him along with six other passengers.
The post stated that negotiations are continuing for the release of the remaining six abductees, with their families, relatives and friends reportedly making efforts to secure their freedom. It alleged that the families have been unable to meet the ransom demands placed on the captives.
The reported release came two days after Governor Dikko Umaru Radda paid a scheduled one-day working visit to Bakori Local Government Area. However, there is no official indication that the governor’s visit was connected to the victim’s release.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Katsina State Government nor security agencies had officially confirmed Abdullahi’s release or the reported ransom payment. The account is based on information provided by local residents and could not be independently verified.
