By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto
Sokoto—Grief and anxiety continue to grip Chacho village in Wurno Local Government Area, Sokoto State, as a bride, her bridesmaids, and several wedding guests abducted by gunmen on November 29 remain in captivity 24 days after the attack.
The victims were seized on the eve of the wedding, turning what should have been a joyous occasion into a nightmare, amid Nigeria’s rising tide of mass abductions in the northwest.
A mother of the bride, who requested anonymity, confirmed that her daughter and the other victims have not been released despite frantic family efforts. She said the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of ₦20 million, later raising it to ₦30 million and threatening to kill the captives if the sum was not paid.
“The amount is outrageous. Who can afford this?” she lamented, appealing to security agencies and government authorities for urgent intervention.
Residents reported that the attackers stormed Chacho village around midnight, firing sporadically to instill fear before abducting women who had gathered to assist with final wedding preparations. Villagers reportedly fled into nearby bushes to escape the violence.
Confirming the incident, Sokoto State All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman, Hon. Isah Sadeeq Achida, said villagers were abducted but could not immediately verify whether the bride was among the victims or the exact number taken.
Sokoto State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmed Rufai, told our correspondent that the kidnappers warned captives against communicating with security personnel, preventing authorities from confirming their status or release.
The abduction occurred just hours after a ransom of ₦4 million and a motorcycle was reportedly paid for the release of other kidnapped victims in Rabah town, underscoring what residents describe as a thriving kidnapping economy in the region.
Chacho village, the hometown of Sokoto State Commissioner for Special Duties, Alhaji Shehu Alhaji Chacho, has now joined the growing list of communities repeatedly targeted by armed bandits. Locals say fear has become a daily reality, as attacks in neighboring villages have displaced families, disrupted farming activities, and eroded trust in state protection.
A resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the raid as “heartbreaking,” noting that women, children, and the elderly were left traumatized.
Community leaders and residents are renewing calls for decisive federal and state action, warning that delayed responses and continued silence from authorities embolden criminals and exacerbate Nigeria’s national insecurity crisis.
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