Suspected Bandits Freed Niger Electoral Commissioner After Eleven Months in Captivity

By YM Bina

The commissioner of the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission, Barrister Mohammed Ahmed Wawa, has been released by his suspected bandits aBarrister bductees after 11 months in captivity.

Barrister Ahmed Wawa from Borgu Local Government Area of Niger state was released by bandits about 7am on Wednesday night, in an interview revealed that he stayed for over 300 days without taking his bath and drank the same water with herds of cows.

Narration his ordain, Ahmed stated that the only luxury he had in the captivity of the bandits was a meal of corn flour and “Miyan Kuka” (a local northern draw soup) given to him once a daily, adding that they co-habited with the cows.

According to him, “The source of drinking water was the same as that of cows, we stayed in the midst of cattle drinking the same water.

“Throughout my stay in captivity for over 300 days I did not take a bath, so when they handed me over to my family yesterday the first thing I did was to take one hour bath, the experience was traumatising”, he said.

Barrister Ahmed Wawa was abducted September 2025 on New Bussa- Ibbi Road while returning from his hometown in preparation for the conduct of the last local government elections in Niger state and was kidnapped in captivity after paying N40 million ransom.

A family source said that the bandits released him on Wednesday night after paying an undisclosed additional ransom to his abductees.

He added that the bandits released him to the family along Funtua axis between Katsina and Zamfara states boundaries

According to family source, “merely looking at the barrister, you will know that he has gone through a lot, adding that he needed a comprehensive medical checkup.

He appreciated all those who supported the family to ensure his safe release and thanked God Almighty for returning alive to join his family.