Three Newly Recruited Soldiers Abducted In Zamfara

Three newly passed-out soldiers have reportedly been abducted by terrorists while travelling through the Anka axis of Zamfara State.

The soldiers were said to be travelling from Zaria to their destination in Kebbi State when armed men ambushed their vehicle and took them away, alongside other passengers and the driver.

A source familiar with the incident, who spoke with Vanguard, said the soldiers had recently completed their passing-out exercise at the 26 Nigerian Army formation in Kaduna State.

The abduction reportedly occurred on July 2, 2026.

According to the source, the soldiers were travelling through Zamfara State when heavily armed attackers intercepted their vehicle.

The gunmen reportedly abducted everyone in the vehicle, including the soldiers, other passengers and the driver.

The source alleged that the newly recruited personnel had been left to travel to their next destination without adequate security arrangements after completing their training.

Kidnappers Reduce Ransom

The abductors were said to have initially demanded ₦50 million for the release of the captives.

They later reduced the demand to ₦5 million for each person, according to members of the soldiers’ families.

The relatives said they had notified military authorities about the abduction but had not received information about any rescue operation more than 13 days after the incident.

They also complained that no official response had been communicated to them concerning the whereabouts or condition of the captives.

When contacted, officials of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) said the institution was not aware of the reported abduction.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, also said the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) had no information about the incident.