A youth leader in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State, Sapi’i Sambo, has confirmed the successful rescue of 28 travellers that were abducted on December 21, 2025, at Zak community in Bashar District by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Sambo said the Operatives of the DSS called in the night to inform the community that the victims had been rescued, a development that led to jubilation across Wase.
The 28 travellers made up of men, women, and children, were travelling to Sabon Layi community in the same Bashar District to attend a Maulud celebration when they were intercepted and abducted at Zak community in Bashar District of Wase Local Government Area of the State.
The kidnappers later made contacts with the families of the victims and demanded N1.5 million ransom per person, a development that made the families of the victims to plead with the abductors to have mercy on them as they were not in a position to afford such a huge amount.
The abductors then reduced the figure to N30 million, but with an additional demand of three brand-new motorcycles.
However, on Thursday, January 8, 2026, the abductors allegedly reviewed their demands again, and insisted on N1.5 million and one new motorcycle per victim.
The families were struggling to raise the money for the release of the victims when the good news of their rescue filtered into the community.
The news was an exchange for the bewilderment the families of the victims were thrown into following the insistence of the abductors for payment before the release of the victims.
people because people were worried about what would happen if the conditions were not met.
According to Sambo; “We are happy with this development as we getting the money was difficult from amongst our poor people struggling to make a living”.
Similarly, one of the parents from Zak community, Mr Dauda Ibrahim, whose child was one of the victims, said security agencies informed them that the abductees were now in Bashar town.
Ibrahim said; “We were told by the security that our children have been released and are currently in Bashar town. We are grateful to God Almighty and to the DSS operatives”.
