KEBBI STATE, NIGERIA – Alhaji Muhammadu Mai Barga Besse, the immediate past Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Koko/Besse Local Government Area of Kebbi State, has been confirmed dead while in bandits’ captivity.
His death follows the circulation of disturbing videos showing him alongside another abductee, believed to be Malam Yahaya Tanko Besse, a prominent Islamic cleric and leader of the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), pleading for assistance while being held in a forest hideout reportedly located in the Birnin Gwari axis.
Sources close to the families confirmed that Malam Yahaya Tanko Besse had earlier died in captivity. Funeral prayers were subsequently held in absentia in accordance with Islamic tradition.
The two men were reportedly abducted during an attack by armed bandits and remained in captivity despite efforts by relatives and community leaders to secure their release. Their deaths have deepened grief across Kebbi State, where many had hoped for their safe return.
The tragic outcome has renewed concerns over the persistent insecurity affecting parts of northern Nigeria, where banditry, kidnappings, and violent attacks continue to threaten communities and claim innocent lives.
Residents and political associates have described Alhaji Muhammadu Mai Barga Besse as a respected community leader whose death represents a significant loss to the people of Koko/Besse Local Government Area.
As news of the deaths spread, sympathisers, religious leaders, and political figures offered condolences to the bereaved families and called for intensified efforts to address the growing security challenges facing the region.
