Gunmen have kidnapped the Secretary of Kibiya Local Government Area in Kano State, Hamza Musa Durba, after launching an attack on his residence in Dinya town.
The Speaker of the council, Sabo Yusuf Usman, confirmed the incident in a statement to the BBC, noting that it took place late on Friday night, March 20, 2026.
“The incident happened around 1:00 a.m. while the secretary was asleep in his house,” he said.
According to him, the attackers first approached the secretary’s son, who was sleeping outside, and forced him to call his father under the excuse of being unwell.
“After he knocked, his father asked who it was, and he replied that it was his son. When asked what the problem was, he said he had a stomach ache. The father then opened the door, and the gunmen immediately seized him along with the son,” Usman said.
He further explained that the gunmen later freed the son but escaped with the secretary before security personnel could arrive.
Although Kibiya Local Government Area has generally been seen as a peaceful location, nearby areas such as Tsanyawa and Shanono bordering Katsina State have experienced repeated bandit-related attacks.