Kadafa and Shelpidi were abducted on 28 October 2026 while harvesting soybeans on Kadafa’s farm at Alheri Camp, Kilometer 30, along the Kaduna-Abuja highway.
Kadafa, who worked in Abuja, had reportedly travelled to Kaduna to supervise activities on his farm when armed men stormed the location and whisked both friends away.
According to the family, the kidnappers initially demanded N100 million for their release before reducing the ransom to N80 million following negotiations.
After weeks of discussions, the family reportedly paid N56 million, alongside three brand-new Samsung mobile phones and a N20,000 airtime recharge card, in an effort to secure Kadafa’s freedom.
However, what the family had expected to be a joyful reunion ended in tragedy on Wednesday, 11 November, when they were handed his lifeless body after meeting the kidnappers’ demands.
Family members disclosed that Kadafa had sustained a gunshot wound to his leg while attempting to escape during the abduction but was allegedly denied medical attention throughout his two weeks in captivity.
They suspect that complications arising from the untreated injury may have contributed to his death.
The killing has left his family and friends devastated, particularly after they parted with millions of naira and other valuables in the hope of bringing him home alive.
Friends mourn hardworking farmer
Further details have emerged about Kadafa’s personal life, with a close associate describing him as a hardworking, enterprising and principled young man whose death has left a huge void among those closest to him.
Kadafa, popularly known as K9 among his childhood friends and Ibro among close associates, was his mother’s first child. His mother is still alive, while some of his siblings reside in Abuja.
Although unmarried and without biological children, he was reportedly in a relationship before his death.
A close associate, who said he had known Kadafa for more than six years, described their relationship as one that went beyond ordinary friendship, likening it to the bond between biological brothers.
He recalled that they had lived in the same building for years and shared several aspects of their daily lives.
“In the last six or more years, Ibrahim Kadafa (K9) has been a very important part of my life, almost like a biological younger brother that my late mum never had.
“We stayed in the same building, about the only person I could say knew me well because we did most things in common.
“When he cooked, if I wanted to eat from it, I was sure there would be no protest. If I wanted to hang out, he was the only person whose lifestyle and mine synched,” he recalled.
According to the associate, Kadafa was a dependable companion who trusted his judgement and regularly sought his advice on important personal matters.
He said the deceased respected his opinions and was receptive to correction and guidance, adding that their relationship was built on mutual trust, understanding and affection.
“I was one of those who could tell him if he was wrong and I can say that more than many family members, more than most of his childhood friends, I had a strong influence on him and he respected me so.
“When he needed advice on important decisions, he came to me as one he believed would give wise counsel. He was my brother and friend,” he said.
Recounting the depth of their friendship, the associate disclosed that Kadafa was the first person he thought of when he once had the opportunity to invite only one friend and one family member to a presidential occasion. He chose Kadafa as his companion, alongside his daughter.
Combined professional work with farming
Beyond his personal relationships, Kadafa was described as an industrious man who combined his professional engagements in Abuja with extensive agricultural activities in Kaduna State.
According to his associates, he worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) while maintaining farming interests and other properties in Kaduna.
He frequently travelled between the Federal Capital Territory and Kaduna to supervise his investments.
It was during one of such trips that he and Shelpidi, popularly known as Musty, were abducted from his farm on 28 October.
Describing his character, the close associate said Kadafa was a progressive-minded individual who approached every responsibility with dedication and was determined not to fail in any assignment entrusted to him.
“A very hardworking and progressive citizen, committed to whatever was left to his care. He never wanted to fail at anything.
“Some saw him as too combustive because he feared no one whenever he had to bare his mind on issues, especially issues concerning justice and forthrightness,” he said.
Ransom payment fails to secure his freedom
The associate further disclosed that the kidnappers received the ransom on Tuesday, 10 November, following negotiations aimed at securing Kadafa’s release.
However, hopes of reuniting with him were shattered the following day when the abductors handed over his lifeless body.
The development has left relatives and friends struggling to come to terms with his death, particularly after holding out hope that he would return home safely after about two weeks in captivity.
Expressing his grief, the associate described the killing as an act that had robbed Kadafa of a promising future, leaving those closest to him with feelings of anger, helplessness and disbelief.
“Now he’s no more, murdered by a bunch of nobodies who kidnapped him from his own farm in Kaduna, alongside another friend of his, Musty.
“They demanded ransom, it was paid on Tuesday, and on Wednesday they threw his corpse at us, his loved ones.
“I feel really devastated, robbed and offended right now. I feel like hating, like taking revenge, but from who?” he lamented.
He said Kadafa’s death was particularly painful because of the opportunities and achievements that still lay ahead of him.
“K9 was better than most, but robbed of the promises his future held for him. This is wrong, in all shades,” he added.
Kadafa’s death has renewed concerns over the activities of kidnappers along the Kaduna-Abuja highway, with his family and associates left grieving after a ransom payment intended to secure his safe return failed to save his life.
