According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, Diggi was reportedly chased by an unknown vehicle upon reaching Gayi village.

Intelligence sources confirmed to the publication that the incident occurred on February 17 at about 12:30 a.m while Diggi was returning to his village from Birnin Kebbi.

“The assailants forced him to stop, set his Toyota Corolla with registration number KLG 637 AA ablaze, and fled the scene. His whereabouts remain unknown,” a police source was quoted as saying.

The publication added that security operatives, who arrived at the scene, recovered items suspected to have been used to carry out the attack. The items include a lighter, a stick, and a container emitting the smell of fuel.

The state police command has launched a “full-scale” investigation into the incident to ascertain Diggi’s fate and track down the bandits.