By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Humans of AfricaHumans of AfricaHumans of Africa
  • Home
  • Stories
  • About
Search
© 2023 | Humans of Africa
Aa
Humans of AfricaHumans of Africa
Aa
Search
  • Home
  • Stories
  • About
Follow US
© 2023 | Humans of Africa
Stories

Zamfara wedding kidnapping escapee recounts attack

By Ishaq Khalid Published June 15, 2022
3 Min Read
Jafar Kanoma (pictured) said he ran a long distance to escape the kidnappers
SHARE

A Nigerian couple have put their wedding celebrations on hold after gunmen abducted at least 29 guests travelling home from the ceremony.

A survivor told the BBC the groom was “devastated” by the attack.

Jafar Kanoma said the perpetrators had mounted roadblocks and then started shooting in Zamfara state.

“One of the gunmen was running after me, firing and telling me to stop. But I didn’t stop and God helped me to escape,” Mr Kanoma said.

Mr Kanoma, a friend of the groom, said he had run for several kilometres through the bush before reaching a police checkpoint, leaving him “exhausted and speechless”.

He escaped without any gunshot wounds.

One of the cars in the convoy had developed a brake fault, Mr Kanoma said, forcing the guests to stop in a town called Tureta in Sokoto state for a repair. It was when they continued their journey that the ambush happened, just 2.4 miles (4 km) from Tureta near a village called Bimasa.

The victims, who work as phone dealers in Gusau, are colleagues of the groom.

The police spokesperson in the north-western Zamfara state, Muhammad Shehu, told the BBC that security forces had been deployed to search for and rescue the hostages, describing the events as “tragic”.

The couple was not among those kidnapped. The groom, Jamilu Umar, and his wife, Basira Abubakar Atiku, escaped the attack because their vehicles had driven by before the ambush.

The groom pictured with wedding guests
Image caption,The groom, pictured in the middle in white and blue, is said to be “devastated” by the kidnapping

Sources told the BBC the gunmen have called families of the victims and market officials using the captives’ mobile phones saying they were holding 29 people.

The kidnappers are also demanding a ransom.

Kidnappings for ransom by armed criminal gangs are common in Nigeria, especially in the north-west.

They often target travellers on dangerous roads as well as unprotected rural communities with victims usually released after ransom payments.

The Nigerian authorities are facing increasing criticism for failing to tackle the widespread insecurity including frequent killings and kidnappings by armed gangs.

In March, in one of the most brazen incidents, a train travelling from the capital Abuja to Kaduna was attacked and more than 60 people taken hostage.

In a speech to mark the 23rd anniversary of Nigeria’s return to democracy on Sunday, President Muhammadu Buhari acknowledged the rise in violence by various armed groups across the country, saying his government was doing its best to address it.

More than 3,500 people have been killed in the first three months of this year alone – thousands more have been kidnapped.

The government wants to outlaw the paying of ransoms in order to make kidnapping less lucrative.

Map of Nigeria
TAGGED: Crime, Jafar Kanoma, Kidnapping, Nigeria, Zamfara State

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
[mc4wp_form]
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Ishaq Khalid June 15, 2022 June 15, 2022
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Flipboard Whatsapp Whatsapp Reddit Telegram Email
Previous Article It’s scandalous that I can visit more African countries visa-free with my Canadian passport than Algerian
Next Article The internet has made things a lot easier for me
Leave a comment Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Most Popular

Ricci Ossei - Humans of Africa
Ricci Osei: A cultural and artistic icon
Stories August 25, 2019
John Obidi: From unemployed youth to fast-rising African entrepreneur
Stories May 20, 2019
‘People thought they knew the story’: the rise and fall of Milli Vanilli
Stories June 17, 2023
Raised by two troubling fathers – Monica Macias
Stories August 24, 2020
Segilola Grey is an elderly woman who models in Nigeria at the age of 72 years old
Old age has nothing on the 72-year-old Nigerian model, Segilola Grey
Stories September 9, 2020
How a selfie revealed Miche Solomon’s true identity
Stories August 17, 2020
Omar Mohamed: ‘Waiting 23 years to see my mum’
Stories July 30, 2020
Ama Ata Aidoo: the pioneering writer from Ghana left behind a string of feminist classics
Stories June 14, 2023
Why a Namibian artist records his music in the dark
Stories June 12, 2023
Nathi Mankayi: Music liberated me from prison
Stories August 21, 2020
Follow US
© 2023 | Humans of Africa
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?