Abducted Woman Dies in Captivity, Bandits Capture and Kill Her Son After He Delivered Ransom in Kaduna

A family in Kaduna State has been thrown into mourning following the reported deaths of a woman and her firstborn son, Joshua, after they were allegedly held by suspected bandits.

The woman was abducted in December 2025 from the Bayan Dutse area of Narayi in Kaduna South Local Government Area. Following the kidnapping, her captors reportedly demanded a ransom far beyond what her family and members of the community could afford.

According to a Facebook post shared on Saturday by a community member identified as Noble, efforts to raise the money fell short, leaving the family unable to meet the kidnappers’ deadline.

In a final attempt to save his mother, Joshua reportedly volunteered to deliver the amount the family had managed to raise while pleading with the abductors to release her.

However, on arriving at the kidnappers’ hideout, he was said to have been informed that his mother had already died while in captivity.

The ordeal took an even more tragic turn when the kidnappers allegedly collected the ransom, refused to release Joshua and instead held him captive. He was reportedly tortured and later killed.

Joshua’s death has left behind a devastated family, including his wife, children and other relatives, who are now mourning the loss of both mother and son.

The incident has sparked renewed concern over the persistent insecurity and rising cases of kidnapping in parts of Kaduna State, where families are often forced to raise huge sums in desperate bids to secure the release of their loved ones.

At the time of filing this report, security authorities had not publicly commented on the incident.