Deborah Akinyosoye
Relief mingled with grief in Chacho village, Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State, as a young bride-to-be and her bridesmaids were finally freed after enduring about 49 harrowing days in the hands of armed bandits.
The incident shattered the village’s joy, which had been building as wedding preparations reached their climax. Barely 24 hours before the ceremony, armed bandits stormed the village under the cover of darkness, went straight to the bride’s residence, and abducted her and her friends.
A family member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the attack plunged the community into shock, fear, and helplessness, as unarmed villagers were powerless against heavily armed criminals.
Intelligence later revealed that the abducted women were held in a bandits’ enclave deep within the Sububu forest, which spans parts of Isa and Sabon Birni local government areas and stretches into Zamfara State and the Niger Republic. The forest has long been a notorious hideout for gangs terrorising communities across Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara States.
Following their release, the victims were immediately taken to an undisclosed hospital for medical attention due to their fragile condition and ongoing security concerns.
A relative explained that the prolonged captivity was partly due to the family’s inability to meet the bandits’ shifting ransom demands immediately. “We are villagers. We don’t have such money in our homes or banks,” the source said. “We sold our belongings, livestock, and valuables, and begged well-meaning citizens before we could raise the funds.”
The ransom negotiations lasted seven weeks, ultimately costing the family ₦10 million in cash, three motorcycles valued at about ₦1.8 million each, and additional food supplies demanded by the abductors.
Another resident, who also requested anonymity, said the ordeal reflects the daily reality for many rural Nigerians whose lives and dreams are destroyed by criminal violence. The resident appealed to the Federal Government to equip security agencies with modern surveillance technology to locate and dismantle bandits’ hideouts, stressing that communities can no longer bear the burden alone.
He also called for a decisive approach against banditry, arguing that repeated negotiations only embolden criminals and perpetuate a cycle of ransom-taking.
Efforts to obtain official comments from the Wurno Local Government Chairman, Hon. Aba Sadiq Isa Achida, were unsuccessful. The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said the command was yet to receive full details but promised to liaise with the divisional office for updates as Nigerians continue to demand answers and lasting solutions to the nation’s worsening security crisis.