…tension, fears in families for over 100 other abductees
By Saidu Gaidam
MARIGA, Niger State — A deeply disturbing report emerged on Friday, September 11, after abductors allegedly sent the severed head of one of more than 100 people reportedly kidnapped weeks ago to the Shadadi Emirate in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
According to community sources and eyewitness accounts from the emirate, the remains were delivered on Friday, with a message believed to have come from the terrorists holding the captives. The victim was said to be among a large group of people abducted in a recent raid on communities within Mariga LGA.
The delivery has sent shockwaves through Shadadi and surrounding towns, where families have been waiting for news of their relatives and negotiating for their release.
“This is the worst news we could receive,” one community leader in Shadadi said Friday evening, asking not to be named due to security concerns. “We have been praying and hoping that government and security agencies would secure their release. Now we are afraid for the lives of those still with the bandits.”
Fresh Fears for Those in Captivity
The incident marks an escalation in the ongoing security crisis in parts of Niger State, where terrorists have carried out mass abductions for ransom over the past several years. Mariga LGA, which shares boundaries with forests that have been identified as hideouts, has been repeatedly targeted.
Security analysts say the alleged act appears designed to pressure families and government negotiators. In previous cases across the North West and North Central, terrorists and kidnappers have used threats and violence to demand payments and to demonstrate their capacity to harm captives.
As of Friday night, there had been no official statement from the Niger State Police Command or the state government confirming the incident. Attempts to reach the Shadadi Emirate Council for comment were unsuccessful.
Families of the abducted have appealed for urgent government intervention, saying time is running out for the more than 100 people still believed to be in captivity.
“We don’t know who will be next,” said a woman whose brother was among those taken. “We have sold everything. We just want them back alive.”
Growing Calls for Action
The killing and the alleged delivery of the victim’s remains have renewed calls for a more robust security response in Mariga and across Niger State. Residents and civil society groups are urging federal and state authorities to deploy additional troops, strengthen intelligence gathering, and cut off logistics and ransom channels that sustain the armed groups.
Traditional rulers in the area have also been meeting to discuss how to support affected families and to press for coordinated action. Community vigilante groups say they are on alert but lack the equipment to confront the heavily armed terrorists gangs operating in the forests.
The tragedy has also reignited debate about the long-term solutions to banditry, including rural development, better policing, and dialogue with repentant fighters. However, the immediate concern in Shadadi is the safety of those still being held.
In a statement circulating among community members, residents offered prayers for the deceased. “May Allah have mercy on the deceased and protect everyone still in captivity,” the message read.
The question now being asked across Mariga: “How many more innocent lives must be lost before the cycle of abductions and killings is brought to an end?”
An image reportedly showing the victim before his abduction, along with another graphic image (viewers discretion advised) of the remains sent to the emirate, was attached to the initial report circulating in the community.
Human rights organizations have condemned the act and called on authorities to prioritize rescue operations and to provide psychosocial support for families affected by the abductions.
Authorities have not announced any arrests in connection with the abductions. Security agencies say operations are ongoing in the area.
… more details later
