Gunmen have kidnapped Hon. Devid Ali Gwantu, the serving councillor representing Gwantu Ward in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
According to local sources, the incident happened in the early hours of Friday, September 5, 2025, when armed men stormed the councillor’s residence and forcefully took him away in the presence of his family.
“Gunmen stormed his home early Friday morning and whisked him away in front of his wife and children. His whereabouts are still unknown,” a community member told reporters.
The Kaduna State Police Command has not released any official statement regarding the abduction at the time of filing this report.
This incident adds to the rising cases of kidnappings in Kaduna State and other parts of northern Nigeria, where criminal gangs commonly referred to as bandits — have continued to terrorize rural communities.
Sanga LGA, located in the southern part of Kaduna State, has witnessed several security breaches in recent years, ranging from attacks on villages to abductions for ransom. Residents say the latest abduction shows that even public officials are no longer safe.
“If a sitting councillor can be taken just like that, what hope do the rest of us have?” one resident lamented.
While it is still unclear whether the kidnappers have made any contact or demanded a ransom, the community has called on the Kaduna State Government and security agencies to act quickly to secure the councillor’s release and address the broader issue of insecurity in the region.
Efforts to reach the Sanga Local Government Chairman for comments were unsuccessful as calls were not returned.
Kidnapping for ransom has become a major security challenge in Nigeria, especially in the North West and North Central regions. Both citizens and government officials have fallen victim, and there is growing pressure on the government to strengthen intelligence gathering and community policing.
As of the time of this report, search efforts were still ongoing, and Hon. Gwantu’s family remains in distress.
The people of Sanga LGA and Kaduna at large continue to hope for his safe return, while also demanding more effective action from security agencies.
