In a heartbreaking development that underscores the growing brutality of kidnapping syndicates, an Abuja-based trader, Muhammad Shuaibu, and his 19-year-old daughter, Fatima Muhammad, have been confirmed dead despite their family paying N12 million in ransom.
The tragic saga began on October 3, 2025, when armed men invaded the family’s residence in the Zhidu community of Tafa Local Government Area, Niger State—a border town frequently targeted due to its proximity to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Shuaibu, a well-known businessman at the Dei-Dei Modern Market in Abuja, was abducted alongside two of his daughters.
The Ransom and Loss
A family source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed a harrowing timeline of events that spanned over six months. To meet the kidnappers’ escalating demands, the family was forced to liquidate Shuaibu’s life’s work, selling his market shop, his vehicle, and his sachet water production machinery.
- First Tranche: N6 million
- Second Tranche: N4 million
- Third Tranche: N2 million
- Total Paid: N12 million
The source lamented that the bandits even pressured the family to sell Shuaibu’s house, but they were unable to find a buyer in time.
Fatalities in Captivity
Tragically, the family learned that 19-year-old Fatima, a student at the University of Abuja, was murdered roughly three months ago. The kidnappers reportedly claimed they killed her for being “stubborn” while ransom negotiations were still active.
Following the final payment of N2 million, the family expected the release of the businessman. Instead, the kidnappers informed the person delivering the money that Shuaibu had also died in captivity, citing a “serious illness” that went untreated.
Security and Community Response
The incident has sent shockwaves through the Dei-Dei Modern Market and the Tafa-Bwari axis, where residents have long complained about the porous security between Niger State and the FCT. Efforts to obtain an official statement from the Niger State Police Command spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
The deaths highlight a disturbing trend where kidnap victims are murdered despite their families complying with ransom demands. The Tafa-Bwari corridor remains a high-risk zone, with community leaders repeatedly calling for a permanent joint-task-force station to monitor the forest routes used by bandits to ferry victims between the FCT and Niger State.
A funeral prayer for the deceased is expected to be held in absentia, as the family continues to grapple with the double loss and the total depletion of their financial resources.
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