Fresh tension has gripped Chacho village in Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State after suspected bandits invaded the community around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, abducting a bride-to-be, her bridesmaid and eight other residents.
The attackers stormed the village while the bride was preparing for her wedding scheduled for later in the day. Residents said the armed men moved from house to house before whisking away their victims, most of whom were women. One man was among those kidnapped, while another resident sustained injuries and is receiving treatment.
A villager who spoke on condition of anonymity described the attack as heartbreaking, noting that the bride’s joyful day turned into a nightmare. He said security operatives were contacted during the raid but arrived almost an hour later, long after the gunmen had retreated into the bush.
He urged the government to step up efforts to secure rural communities, stressing that residents are becoming increasingly helpless in the face of rising bandit attacks.
Spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, confirmed the incident, explaining that officers had received preliminary details and a fuller report would be released after ongoing investigations.
The Sokoto attack comes amid a wider wave of abductions across the country. Earlier on Sunday, gunmen stormed a Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, kidnapping the pastor, his wife and several worshippers.
Local sources said the attackers fired shots repeatedly, forcing members of the congregation to flee in panic. The pastor, widely known as Orlando, was taken alongside his wife as worshippers scattered for safety.
The rising cases of mass abductions continue to fuel fears across communities, with many calling for stronger security measures to halt the growing trend.
