The father of the young bride who was kidnapped in Chacho village, Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State, has confirmed that the bandits have reached out to the family. He appealed to the government and security agencies to step in quickly and rescue the victims.
Malam Umaru Chacho said this while speaking to journalists, including a team from Channels Television, who visited the village on Monday. He explained that although the kidnappers have contacted them, they did not ask for ransom. Instead, they said they wanted to speak directly with the traditional ruler of the community.
According to him, a total of thirteen people were taken during the midnight attack. Those kidnapped include the bride, her bridesmaid, two male relatives, and nine other women. He said the attackers came into the village around 12 a.m. and headed straight to the family compound of the bride. They forced their way into her room and began asking for her and her bridesmaid.
The family is not yet sure if the attack was specifically targeted at the bride or if it was part of a wider raid on the community.
Malam Umaru also revealed that one person, believed to be the bride’s brother, was shot and badly injured during the attack. He was taken to another community for treatment because Chacho village does not have any medical facility.
Residents say this is almost the tenth attack on the community in five years, with more than thirty people killed during previous incidents. Many villagers are now living in fear as basic amenities are also lacking.
The father appealed again for urgent help to prevent further harm to the kidnapped victims.