According to security sources, the victims were seized while travelling on the highway, which has remained a hotspot for criminal gangs targeting commuters. Efforts to secure Laushi’s freedom reportedly led to the payment of a substantial ransom. However, despite compliance with the kidnappers’ demands, he was killed after the money was delivered.
Tragedy has struck in Jigawa State following the killing of an aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Hon. Anas Adamu Laushi, by suspected kidnappers despite the payment of a ₦75 million ransom.
Laushi, a former Chairman of Guri Local Government Area and aspirant for the Birniwa/Guri/Kirikasamma Federal Constituency, was abducted alongside Hon. Aliyu Tukur Gantsa along the Abuja–Kaduna highway, a route notorious for recurring cases of armed kidnapping.
The incident highlights the persistent insecurity in parts of northern Nigeria, particularly in Jigawa State, where communities in local government areas such as Guri, Birniwa, and Kirikasamma continue to grapple with banditry and abductions.
Security reports indicate that criminal groups operating in the region frequently exploit remote routes and forested areas to carry out attacks, including kidnappings for ransom, assaults on villages, and highway ambushes.
Although security agencies have recorded some successes in recent operations, including the arrest of suspected members of kidnapping syndicates through coordinated raids, the latest development underscores the urgent need for intensified efforts to curb the menace.
As of the time of filing this report, attempts to get an official response from police authorities were unsuccessful.
