Kaduna, Kaduna State – February 12, 2026 — A serving member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Honourable Usman Garba, popularly known as Zingo, has been abducted by suspected terrorists while returning to Kaduna from an official assignment in Zamfara State.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, February 11, along a highway in the North-West region, close to Kaduna, as the lawmaker was travelling back to the state capital. Hon. Usman Garba represents Kajuru Constituency in the Kaduna State House of Assembly and is widely recognised for his vocal advocacy on security and development issues affecting his constituency and the broader state.
According to eyewitness accounts and preliminary reports, the armed men intercepted the vehicle conveying the lawmaker, forced it to stop, dragged him out, and drove away with him. His driver was reportedly left behind unharmed at the scene. No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction at the time of this report, but such highway attacks in the North-West are frequently attributed to bandit groups and terrorist elements operating in the region.
A widely circulated post on X (formerly Twitter) captured the public reaction to the incident:
“BREAKING: Hon. Usman Garba Zingo has reportedly been abducted by armed bandits while traveling from Zamfara to Kaduna today. The incident adds to growing concerns over insecurity along the highways in North-West region, as calls mount for urgent action. How are security agencies responding to escalating abductions on highways?”
The abduction of a sitting state legislator has intensified alarm over the deteriorating security situation on major highways in the North-West, particularly routes linking Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto states. These corridors have become notorious for frequent kidnappings, ambushes, and extortion by armed groups who exploit the vast rural terrain and limited security presence.
Kaduna State has been one of the epicentres of banditry and terrorism in recent years, with communities in Kajuru, Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Chikun, and other local government areas repeatedly targeted in attacks involving killings, abductions for ransom, and displacement of thousands of residents. The latest incident involving a prominent elected official has sparked renewed outrage and renewed calls for decisive military and police action to secure critical transport routes.
The Kaduna State Government and the Kaduna State House of Assembly are yet to issue official statements confirming the abduction or detailing response measures, though sources close to the Assembly confirmed the lawmaker was en route back to Kaduna when the incident occurred. Security agencies, including the Kaduna State Police Command and Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), have not publicly commented on the case at the time of this report, but it is understood that search and rescue operations have been activated.
The kidnapping of Hon. Usman Garba Zingo adds to a troubling pattern of high-profile abductions in the North-West, where traditional rulers, civil servants, students, and ordinary citizens have been targeted in recent months. Many victims are released only after substantial ransom payments, while others remain in captivity for extended periods or are killed if negotiations fail.
Public safety advocates and residents have repeatedly criticised the effectiveness of current security measures along major highways, calling for increased military patrols, the establishment of permanent checkpoints, better intelligence gathering, and the deployment of advanced surveillance technology to deter armed groups.
The incident has also reignited debate about the broader insecurity crisis in the North-West, where banditry, terrorism, kidnapping for ransom, and communal clashes continue to claim hundreds of lives annually and disrupt economic activity, education, and agriculture.
As efforts to locate and rescue Hon. Usman Garba intensify, his colleagues in the Kaduna State House of Assembly, political leaders, and constituents have appealed for his immediate and safe release. The abduction of an elected representative has been described as a direct assault on democratic governance and a stark reminder of the urgent need for sustained and coordinated action to restore safety on Nigeria’s highways and rural communities.
Further updates are expected as security agencies and the state government respond to this latest high-profile kidnapping in the region.
