Bandits have killed Malam Bashar Sani, a senior staff member at the College of Education, Maru, in Zamfara State, despite his family paying a ransom of N20 million for his release.
Sani, who served as the Director of the Management Information System (MIS) unit of the college, was abducted on December 22, 2025, along with his wife, Rashida Bashar, and 14 other women.
According to his younger brother, Hassan Sani, Bashar spent 42 days in captivity where he was severely tortured by the kidnappers. He eventually died from injuries sustained while in their custody.
Hassan said the family only learned about Bashar’s death after the other abducted victims were released in February.
“He was the only male among those abducted and the only one killed. The women who returned told us he was badly beaten by the bandits. He had a fractured leg and multiple injuries and later died in captivity,” he said.
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The kidnappers had demanded N20 million ransom, three motorcycles and N150,000 worth of call cards before releasing the captives.
Hassan revealed that Bashar had actually died before the ransom was fully paid, but the bandits did not disclose this to the family until after the other victims regained freedom.
He also recalled that the family had previously been targeted by bandits in 2022 when gunmen attacked Bashar’s home and kidnapped his wives, Nafisa and Rashida. They were released after the family paid N2 million and N30,000 worth of call cards.
Following that incident, Hassan said both brothers relocated for safety. However, the attacks continued in the area.
He explained that he himself was later abducted by bandits from the Emir’s palace in Yan 4 community and spent 62 days in captivity before his family paid N3.5 million for his release.
During the recent abduction, the kidnappers initially demanded N20 million, a Honda motorcycle, four smartphones and N200,000 worth of call cards.
Even after meeting these demands, they reportedly asked for additional motorcycles, claiming their operational bikes were old. They also requested N150,000 worth of call cards and three 25-litre jerrycans of petrol to transport the kidnapped victims.
After the family complied, they were directed to Gidan Kano along the Talata Mafara–Sokoto road to pick up the released victims. It was there they learned that Bashar had died weeks earlier in captivity.
Hassan said the kidnappers also killed other male captives, including a mentally challenged person.
“Bashar had died 42 days earlier. Though it is painful, we take solace in the fact that he died with the Shahada on his lips. When we saw his body, it was still fresh,” he said.
A close friend of the deceased and member of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria in Maru area council, Ustaz Ibrahim Hamida, described Bashar as a hardworking man who struggled to support his family.
He said the ransom demands became huge partly because Bashar was abducted alongside the family of a police officer, Hussaini Bagega, and other victims.
Hamida added that Bashar had sold many of his assets to meet the kidnappers’ demands, noting that he was the main provider for his family.
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