Bandits Reportedly Kill Kaduna Businessman After N12m Ransom Payment, Seize Son

A Kaduna businessman identified as Mallam Auwal has reportedly been killed by suspected bandits after his family allegedly paid ₦12 million in ransom, with the abductors said to have subsequently taken his son.

Reports circulating online said Auwal, a resident of Hayin Babban Saura in Kaduna, was targeted by the attackers during a kidnapping incident.

According to the reports, the family paid a total of ₦12 million to secure his release. However, the businessman was allegedly killed despite the ransom payment.

The circumstances surrounding the reported killing, including the exact location where Auwal was abducted and when his death occurred, remain unclear.

The reports also claimed that the victim’s son was taken by the same attackers, leaving the family facing another demand for his release.

The development has renewed concerns over the continuing threat posed by kidnapping and banditry in parts of Kaduna State, where armed groups have repeatedly targeted residents, travellers and business owners.

Kaduna has continued to experience attacks and abductions despite intensified security operations by the Nigerian military and police. Earlier this year, security agencies rescued kidnapped victims in parts of the state and launched operations against criminal groups operating in rural communities.

The latest report has also raised fresh concerns over the effectiveness of ransom payments as a means of securing the safety of kidnap victims, with families sometimes facing continued threats even after meeting abductors’ demands.

As of publication, no official statement from the Kaduna State Police Command or other security agency confirming Auwal’s reported killing and the alleged abduction of his son had been located.

The identities of the alleged attackers and the whereabouts of Auwal’s son were also not immediately established.

Further details are expected as authorities and the victim’s family provide more information.