Tension has gripped Kebbi State following the abduction of the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Samaila Bagudo, by suspected bandits on Friday night.

Police sources said the lawmaker was kidnapped in his hometown, Bagudo, shortly after observing the Isha’i prayers at about 8:25 p.m.

The attackers reportedly struck while he was returning home, firing sporadically before whisking him away into the nearby forests.

Police spokesperson, CSP Nafi Abubakar, confirmed the incident in a statement, saying a “joint team comprising police tactical units, military personnel, and local vigilantes have been deployed to the area for his rescue.”

He said the combined forces were combing suspected bandits’ routes and surrounding forests to ensure the lawmaker’s safe recovery.

Police Launch Massive Search Operation

Abubakar added that the Commissioner of Police had described the abduction as “a dastardly act that will not go unpunished.”

He reaffirmed the command’s determination to protect lives and property across Kebbi State and urged residents to remain calm but vigilant.

“We appeal to the public to provide useful information that could help in rescuing the victim and bringing the perpetrators to justice,” the statement read.

The abduction adds to a troubling pattern of insecurity in Nigeria’s northwest, where armed gangs continue to terrorize rural communities and government officials despite intensified military operations.