Gunmen demand ₦50m from village pharmacist, return days later to kill another man

Precious Omolu 12:59 - 08 July 2026

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Rural communities like Kagadama and Bagel villages in Dass LGA, Bauchi State, are on high alert following a sudden wave of targeted abductions and violence

Fresh attacks by suspected kidnappers in Dass LGA of Bauchi State have left one person dead and four others abducted. Police say efforts are ongoing to rescue the victims and arrest the attackers.

One resident was killed and four others abducted in separate attacks in Dass LGA, Bauchi State.
Former lawmaker Maryam Bagel accused suspected kidnappers of demanding ₦50 million ransom from a village pharmacy owner.
Police confirmed the attacks and said efforts are ongoing to rescue the victims and arrest those responsible.
The incident comes days after another bandit attack in Ningi LGA, where two children were killed and three residents abducted.

Fresh attacks by suspected gunmen have thrown residents of Dass Local Government Area of Bauchi State into fear after one person was killed and four others were abducted in separate attacks within two weeks.

The incidents were made public by former Bauchi lawmaker and House of Representatives aspirant, Maryam Bagel, who raised the alarm over what she described as a worsening security situation in the area.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Bagel said the attacks happened in Kagadama and Bagel villages, with residents now living in fear of further attacks.

According to her, the first victim was a pharmacy owner in Kagadama who was kidnapped by the gunmen. She claimed the kidnappers later demanded ₦50 million as ransom.

Gunmen initially targeted a local pharmacy owner in Kagadama village, later demanding a staggering ₦50 million ransom for his release.

"The first person kidnapped was a pharmacy owner operating in Kagadama. They demanded ₦50m to release him. Where are they expecting a village pharmacy owner to have ₦50m? I wonder."

Bagel said things became even more tragic less than a week later when the attackers returned, this time targeting a man identified as Shahibi, who had reportedly been kidnapped about a year ago.

She alleged that the gunmen shot him multiple times in front of his wife and children.

In a brutal escalation, gunmen shot a resident named Shahibi multiple times inside his home in front of his wife and children.

"Less than a week after, they went to kidnap Shahibi, who was earlier kidnapped barely a year ago in my village, and they killed him with several bullets in the chest and stomach in the presence of his wife, who happens to be my cousin, and their children."

The attacks did not stop there.

According to Bagel, the gunmen returned to Kagadama again on Tuesday in an attempt to abduct another shop owner. Although the intended target reportedly escaped after the attackers opened fire, the gunmen allegedly abducted three other people instead.

The victims included a 10-year-old boy who was at the shop, a young man who had just returned from the hospital, and another resident.

Speaking on the growing insecurity, Bagel called on security agencies and the Bauchi State Government to act quickly before the situation gets worse.

She warned against allowing Dass LGA to become another hotspot for kidnapping, noting that residents are beginning to relive the insecurity that affected parts of Bauchi State in previous years.

The Bauchi State Police Command has confirmed the attacks.

Police spokesperson, SP Nafiu Habib, said security operatives have already launched operations to rescue those abducted and arrest the suspects.

"Our men are aware of the situation and are on top of the matter. Protecting lives and property is our mandate, and we will not allow the wave of insecurity to take away the peace we enjoy in Bauchi State."

The latest attack comes just days after another deadly incident in Rafin Ciyawa village in Ningi Local Government Area, where heavily armed bandits reportedly killed two children, injured six others and abducted three residents.

Following that attack, the police said they deployed the Violent Crime Reduction Unit, Anti-Kidnapping Unit, local hunters and vigilantes to track down the attackers and rescue the victims.

The renewed attacks have once again raised concerns over the security situation in parts of Bauchi State, as residents continue to call for stronger action against kidnappers operating across rural communities.