Amnesty International Reacts as Bandits Kill Zamfara Chief Imam, 3 Children Despite N11m Ransom

• The global human rights body, Amnesty International (AI), said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has failed to tackle the lingering security challenges in Nigeria
• Amnesty International took the stance after the abduction and killing of the chief imam of Maru Jumma’a Mosque, Alkali Salihu Suleiman, and his three children by armed bandits in Zamfara state
• The family was abducted in March 2025 during the Ramadan period, and despite the bandits receiving N11 million of the N20 million ransom they demanded, they were subjected to torture and eventually murdered

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering metro and security matters in Nigeria.

Gusau, Zamfara state - Amnesty International on Friday, May 2, strongly condemned the "gruesome killing" of the Chief Imam of Maru Jumma’a Mosque Zamfara state, Sheikh Alkali Salihu Suleiman.

Legit.ng reports that armed men, known locally as bandits, killed Sheikh Suleiman, along with his three children—despite receiving N11 million of the N20m ransom they had demanded.

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The tragic incident, which occurred two months after their abduction, has plunged the Maru community into mourning.

The slain Imam and his children were abducted from Maru, the headquarters of Maru local government area (LGA) of Zamfara state—a community long plagued by persistent bandit attacks.

Bandits' attacks: Amnesty Int'l tackles Tinubu

Reacting to the killing, Amnesty International, the global human rights body, said the almost-daily deadly attacks "clearly show that President Bola Tinubu and his government have no effective plan for ending years of atrocities".

The group said the Chief Imam and his 3 children were abducted during Ramadan fasting in March. While in the custody of the bandits, they were reportedly subjected to almost daily rounds of torture and other ill-treatments. Apart from beatings, they were also allegedly made to go long hours without food or water.

Amnesty International's statement partly reads:

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"Almost daily attacks across Zamfara and other states clearly show that President Bola Tinubu and his government have no effective plan for ending years of atrocities by armed groups and gunmen that are increasingly having free reigns across many parts of Nigeria."

Prolonged banditry challenge in Nigeria

Legit.ng reports that Zamfara is one of several states in northwestern and central Nigeria plagued by bandits who raid villages, killing and abducting residents as well as burning and looting homes.

The gangs, who maintain camps in a huge forest straddling Katsina, Kaduna, Zamfara, and Niger states, have earned notoriety for mass kidnappings of helpless citizens in recent years.

Plateau attacks: CSO tackles Amnesty Int’l

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a civil society group based in Plateau pushed back against a recent report by Amnesty International, describing the figures cited on recent attacks in the state as inflated and misleading.

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The group, Coalition for Peace and Security Monitoring in Nigeria (CPSMN), expressed deep concern over what it termed “unverified and sensational” claims by the global human rights body regarding casualties in the Zikke village attack in Bassa local government area.

Source: Legit.ng