Gunmen have abducted a married couple and their young daughter from their home in the Sabuwar Unguwa/Filin Canada area of Katsina city, and are reportedly demanding N600 million for their release, local authorities and news outlets say.
The victims have been identified in multiple reports as 33-year-old Anas (Ahmed/Ahmadu), his wife Halimat(u) and their daughter, Jidda. The attack occurred in the early hours of the morning when suspected bandits entered the family home, shot sporadically and carried the three victims away before security operatives arrived on the scene.
During a frantic attempt to repel the attackers, a member of a local vigilante group — named in reports as Abdullahi Muhammad, 25 — was shot and killed. Sources say the gunmen fled the area after the incident; police have launched an investigation and are conducting search and rescue operations to locate the abducted family and their captors.
Family contacts reportedly received a phone call from the kidnappers setting the ransom demand at N600 million and providing instructions to the relatives, according to those close to the victims. State police spokespeople have confirmed the abduction and said security agencies are coordinating efforts to secure the victims’ release and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The abduction has renewed concerns about the rising tide of kidnappings and banditry in northwest Nigeria, where attacks on households, travellers and communities have placed heavy strain on local security resources. Civil society groups and local leaders called for accelerated police action, better community protection measures and timely, transparent communication from authorities about rescue efforts.
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