The Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed that Alhaji Muhammad Maibarga, an Islamic cleric abducted by bandits in Koko-Besse Local Government Area, has died while in captivity. The development was announced on Tuesday, June 10, 2026, by the command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman.
Usman said the police were aware of reports indicating the cleric’s deteriorating health and eventual death in the hands of his abductors. He added that efforts were ongoing to verify the full details and to secure the rescue of other kidnapped victims in Koko-Besse and Wasagu local government areas.
Maibarga was kidnapped alongside a former chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Koko-Besse LGA. The abduction was not made public at the time but was later confirmed after journalists made enquiries.
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A video that later surfaced online showed both elderly men appealing for help from captivity. In the footage, the former APC chairman said they were ill, had been forced to trek long distances through forests, and were suffering despite their age and medical conditions.
The video sparked widespread concern on social media and among residents, who urged families, community leaders and government authorities to intensify efforts for their release. Reports later confirmed that Maibarga succumbed to illness while in captivity.
Residents of his community have since observed Salatul Gha’ib, the funeral prayer in absentia, for the late cleric as his body has not been recovered.
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