![Alhaji Muhammadu Mai Barga Besse [Right], former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Koko/Besse Local Government Area of Kebbi State, died while in kidnappers’ den](https://thisdawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Muhammadu-Mai-Barga-Besse-1.jpg)
Alhaji Muhammadu Mai Barga Besse, the immediate past Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Koko/Besse Local Government Area of Kebbi State, has tragically died while in captivity after being abducted by bandits earlier in June 2026.
He was held alongside another captive, identified as Yahya, in the notorious Birnin Gwari forest in North-West Nigeria—a region long plagued by banditry and violent criminal activity.
Viral Video Plea
A disturbing video circulated widely on social media showed Besse and Yahya pleading desperately for help.
In the footage, Besse confirmed his past role as APC Chairman but clarified that he no longer held the position.
Both men appeared visibly frail and weak, lamenting their deteriorating health conditions.
They appealed to relatives, community leaders, and government authorities to intervene and secure their release.
The video sparked outrage and sympathy across Nigeria, drawing attention to the vulnerability of even prominent figures in the face of unchecked banditry.
Outcome
On June 23, 2026, reports confirmed that both captives—Besse and Yahya—had died in the kidnappers’ den.
Their deaths have left families, political associates, and the wider community devastated.
The incident has reignited debates about the government’s handling of security in Kebbi State and across Nigeria’s North-West.
Security Implications
The tragedy underscores the deepening insecurity in Nigeria’s North-West, where bandit groups continue to terrorize communities through abductions, extortion, and killings.
It highlights the failure of negotiation and ransom-driven approaches, which often embolden criminal gangs rather than deter them.
Analysts warn that the incident is a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive security reforms, stronger intelligence gathering, and coordinated military action.
Community leaders have called for decisive government intervention.
They stressed that the persistence of such crimes erodes public trust in governance and threatens national stability.
Official Condolences
A Kebbi State official expressed grief in a heartfelt statement:
“I have received the heartbreaking news that one of the victims abducted by bandits, a former APC Chairman of Koko/Besse Local Government, has sadly passed away while in the hands of his captors.
“I extend my deepest condolences to his family, relatives, friends, and all those affected by this painful loss.
“May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings, shower His infinite mercy upon him, and grant him Aljannatul Firdaus.
“May Allah also comfort his family and grant them the strength to bear this difficult loss.”
The official further prayed for an end to the persistent insecurity troubling Kebbi State and Nigeria as a whole.
He urged for lasting peace, safety, and stability in affected communities.
The death of Alhaji Muhammadu Mai Barga Besse and his associate Yahya in captivity has sparked outrage and renewed calls for urgent solutions to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
Their passing is a grim reminder of the human toll of banditry, the fragility of life under such conditions, and the pressing need for decisive action to restore peace and stability in Kebbi State and across Nigeria.
