A senior Nigerian army general and his wife have been taken hostage in a daring raid in the country’s volatile north-west, security sources have confirmed. The abduction, which occurred late Tuesday near the town of Birnin Gwari, highlights the alarming spread of banditry and kidnapping in a region once dominated by Boko Haram. The general, whose name has been withheld for security reasons, was travelling with his wife in a convoy when heavily armed gunmen ambushed them, killing two soldiers and wounding three others.
The assailants escaped into the surrounding forest with their captives, leaving security forces scrambling to mount a rescue operation. This incident underscores the growing insecurity in Nigeria’s north-west, where criminal gangs have terrorised communities with impunity, often targeting high-profile individuals for ransom. President Bola Tinubu, who has faced mounting criticism over his handling of the security crisis, condemned the attack as ‘heinous and cowardly’ in a statement, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice.
However, with the region increasingly lawless and the military stretched thin, many fear such abductions will persist. For ordinary Nigerians, the attack on a general—once seen as untouchable—signals that no one is safe. The spate of kidnappings has forced schools to close, farmers to abandon their land, and families to live in constant fear.
As rescue efforts intensify, the country holds its breath, hoping for a safe return. But in a land where bandits often control the narrative, the outcome remains uncertain.
