Gunmen have abducted and killed Iliyasu Abubakar Sadiq, a lecturer and researcher with the Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
Sadiq, who was from Jigawa State, was abducted at about 10am on Sunday, September 20, 2026, from his farmhouse in Tudun Muntsira, a community located behind ABU’s Samaru Campus.
His body was later found around 2pm at Karau-Karau village, where he was reportedly shot.
According to *Daily Trust*, Sadiq’s wife, Hajiya Baraka, said her husband’s final words to her before he was taken away were a plea to care for their children.
“Baraka! Baraka! Take care of my children. Please, have mercy,” he reportedly called out as the gunmen dragged him away.
Sadiq, who was also a farmer, owned an orchard and farmhouse where he sometimes stayed with his family. Although he had accommodation within the university quarters, he occasionally took his family to the farm before returning to his official residence.
Recounting the incident on Thursday, Baraka said she and her husband were at the farmhouse when they heard their dog barking.
She said Sadiq went outside to investigate but soon returned, shouting, “Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un.”
“He then told me to help him close the door. While we were struggling to shut the door, the attackers pushed from outside to gain entry. They were saying, ‘open the door or we will come in and kill you,’” she said.
The four armed men eventually broke part of the door and forced their way inside.
According to Baraka, Sadiq attempted to flee but the attackers threatened to harm his family if he escaped.
“They told him that even if he runs away, his family is still here,” she said.
She said none of the attackers covered their faces and that all four were carrying guns.
Two of the men held Sadiq while the others demanded money and asked where the family kept valuables.
Baraka said she told them repeatedly that the family did not own the farm and had no money.
“I told them that we don’t have money and that we are not the owners of this farm. I said, we only came here to work. When they didn’t believe me, I told them to search the house to see if there is money,” she said.
She said one of the attackers accused her of lying and threatened to kill her before slapping her and ordering the children to remain quiet.
Baraka said she encouraged the children to pray as the situation unfolded.
The attackers later demanded Sadiq’s phone and ATM card. Baraka said she told them she did not have access to his phone or bank details.
“When they realised that we had no money, they said they would take my husband away. We pleaded with the attackers to spare him, reminding them that we have young children who depend on him, but that did not stop them,” she said.
The couple’s youngest child is about eight months old.
After the gunmen took Sadiq away, Baraka said she fled the farmhouse with one of the children and walked through the crops to a nearby compound, where she raised the alarm.
She said residents subsequently searched the surrounding bushes for the kidnappers but initially found nothing.
“After some hours, I was informed that the corpse of my husband had been found around Karau-Karau village and that he had been shot. I was told they shot him in the head. They took the items on him and left him there,” she said.
Before his death, Sadiq served as Head of Programme, Pest Management, at the Division of Agricultural Colleges, ABU, Zaria.
He taught Entomology and Agriculture and left behind two wives and nine children.
His uncle, Alhaji Yahaya Lawal Kalli, described his death as a major loss to the family.
Kalli said Sadiq had lived under his care until he completed his education and continued to seek his advice throughout his life.
“He was a hardworking person who deeply valued family ties. We will greatly miss him. I pray Almighty Allah to accept his Shahada and grant him Jannatul Firdaus,” he said.
The Director of the Division of Agricultural Colleges, Prof. Bashir Ahmed Babaji, also described Sadiq as a reliable and hardworking staff member who was committed to his duties.
Babaji said Sadiq had previously served as a Head of Department and was well regarded within the college.
He said the university was initially alerted to the incident by the division’s security officer, although details were unclear at the time.
“But after some time, I was informed that the staff member had been killed by his abductors,” he said.
Babaji described kidnapping as a major security challenge in the country, particularly in the North-West.
He added that ABU had recorded similar abduction incidents involving academic staff in the past, although previous cases known to the institution had not resulted in deaths.
