Senator Abdul’ aziz Yari on Sunday condemned the abduction of several Islamic clerics during their prayer session at his residence in Zamfara State.
Yari, a former Governor of Zamagara State in a statement on his official X-handle (formerly Twitter) confirmed that several Islamic clerics travelling to a prayer session at his home were abducted on the road, highlighting the persistent security challenges that have plagued the region for years.
Senator Yari said he was “deeply saddened” by the reports that the clerics were seized en route to Talata Mafara, a town in Zamfara State, and that he had been in contact with security agencies as they worked to verify the details.
In the statement, Senator Yari who currently serves as Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council for President Bola Tinubu re-election bid, said the men had “left their homes to answer a call to pray for peace in Zamfara,” and called the abductions “deeply disturbing.”
Senator Yari represents Zamfara West Senatorial District in the National Assembly on the platform of the APC and previously served as Governor of the State from 2011 to 2019 and as chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum.
He said “The intensified military and security operations across Zamfara and the wider Northwest have put real pressure on these criminal groups.”
“That pressure must now be brought to bear on finding these men and returning them safely to their families.”
He added that the military is “fully aware of the situation and is working tirelessly” to secure the clerics’ release.
The abductions come amid a long-running campaign of violence in Zamfara and neighboring states — including mass kidnappings, cattle rustling and attacks on villages — carried out by a mix of criminal gangs and armed groups.
The insecurity has driven large-scale displacement and strained relations between communities and the state, even as federal and state forces have intensified operations in recent months.
NewsQuest reports that kidnapping for ransom have become a lucrative tactic for criminal networks across northern Nigeria.
Zamfara State has long been a flashpoint of insecurity in Nigeria, particularly because of persistent banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and attacks on rural communities. The State recorded 1,203 abductions between July 2024 and June 2025 – the highest figure among Nigeria’s north-western states according to data cited by Human Rights Watch.
High-profile mass abductions, including attacks on schools and convoys, have drawn national and international attention and prompted periodic security crackdowns.
Our correspondent gathered that the networks are adaptable, often exploiting weak governance, porous borders and degraded local policing.
Senator Yari’s remarks also carried a political tone, warning that the perpetrators “will not succeed” in instilling fear, and asserting that “every one of them will, in time, answer for what he has done.”
Yari has prayed and appealed for the safe return of the clerics and for protection for officers and troops.
As investigations continue, Senator Yari said he would remain in contact with the relevant authorities to establish “the full details” of the incident, and urged continued pressure on security forces to prioritize the clerics’ return.
