Promise Dikko, the reigning Miss University of Jos (UNIJOS) queen, has lost her fiancé — a lieutenant in the Nigerian Army — to bandits in Kaduna State. The tragedy struck only months before their planned wedding on 27 December 2026.

Dikko, a Banking and Finance undergraduate at UNIJOS, spoke exclusively with PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday evening. She declined to give her fiancé's full name, citing security reasons, and referred to him only as Ifeanyi.

She said she last spoke with Ifeanyi on Monday morning and afternoon. When his number stopped connecting, she initially thought it was a network problem or a phone fault.

"We spoke on Monday morning until the afternoon, and his number stopped connecting. Then I thought it was a network issue, or maybe his phone was having issues. I called, but there was no response," Dikko said.

By Tuesday morning, she was worried. She tried reaching his sister, his coursemates — anyone who might have heard from him. No one had news.

"Unfortunately for me, then, he was already dead because the incident happened on Monday evening. So, I finally found out on Tuesday. His brother told me. The incident happened in Kaduna State, in Rigasa, along the Kaduna River," she said.

Dikko disclosed that bandits killed her fiancé during an operation after intercepting him and his colleagues.

The couple had fixed their wedding for 27 December 2026 and had already made substantial preparations — paid for a lot of things, Dikko said.

"Our wedding is supposed to be on 27 December 2026. I've made a lot of preparations. We have paid for a lot of things, but st happened."

Despite the pain, Dikko said she is proud of him. She described him as a patriot who loved his country and died trying to save others.

"He gave his life while trying to save people. I am very proud of him. He's a fighter. All those kinds of soldiers that still have their nation at heart and are ready to fight for the betterment," she said.

"I'm very, very proud of him. The only thing I'm sad about is that I don't get to spend the rest of my life with him. I will miss him. But I love him. He's my hero."

Asked whether military authorities had commented, Dikko said she wasn't concerned about official reactions. "He's a lieutenant in the military. I don't know if the military has made any statements. And I don't care if they have. The military has protocols. So, I won't question whether they make a statement."

Earlier, Dikko announced her fiancé's death in a Facebook post that drew sympathy from friends and followers. She shared what appeared to be one of their pre-wedding photographs, revealing that the image had been saved for a happier occasion.

"RIP my hero. I kept this photo to post it when it's close to the wedding date. 27th December was supposed to be the date. We've made prep and bookings. But you left me. Bandit killed you for me. Nigeria happened to me. Rest easy, my hero," she wrote.

The killing adds to the country's worsening insecurity. In recent months, bandits have carried out deadly attacks and kidnappings across several states, leaving scores dead and many displaced.

In Zamfara, bandits killed and abducted scores in previous months. At least 10 people were killed and several injured in a late evening attack on Bunkasau village in Bukkuyum area. In Katsina, gunmen attacked two farming settlements in Bakori LGA, killing at least 11 people, including a local security guard and an unidentified pregnant woman.

Suspected bandits killed at least five residents and three soldiers in attacks on Mari and Dina communities in Patigi LGA of Kwara State. Local sources said the attackers also abducted several women and children.

In Oyo State, gunmen abducted about 32 people from Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele; Primary School, Esiele; and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School, all in Oriire LGA. The captors killed one victim, a mathematics teacher named Michael Oyedokun, while he was in captivity.