Tension has gripped Faru community in Maradun local government area of Zamfara state after armed bandits abducted the chief imam of Faru Jumu’ah Mosque, Sulaiman Idris Faru, while he was working on his farm.
It was gathered that the incident happened Wednesday morning, June 11, 2025.
Legit.ng reports that several residents who spoke with reporters revealed that the respected Islamic cleric was taken away by gunmen suspected to be bandits after he arrived at his farm.
A resident, Usman, who lives close to the imam’s family house, said: “He went to his farm very early as usual. It’s what he does every morning. Suddenly, news came that he had been abducted.”
The resident added that the local bandits have targeted the community in recent times without any help from the police.
The community source said: “They always come on motorcycles. People always see them heading into the forest after abducting people. Right now, our vigilantes and some security operatives are searching the nearby bushes to rescue the Imam.”
When asked about the incident, the spokesperson of the Zamfara state police command, Yezid Abubakar said: “I am not aware of this information, but I will check…”
As of the time of filing this report, the police have provided no update.
Community members say the lack of response is disturbing, as the abducted imam is a well-known religious figure whose absence is already being felt in the community.
A resident said: “Our people are scared. If they can take the chief imam like that, then no one is safe. We want action, not silence.”
Zamfara is one of the most terrorized states in the Nigerian northwestern region.
Nigeria’s military has been fighting armed groups like Boko Haram in the northeast, which has left it thinly stretched to tackle the kidnapping gangs, known locally as bandits.
The bandits are believed to be mostly ethnic Fulanis, but pastoralists and mercenaries from the region as well as neighbouring Chad and Niger are also involved.
