Sokoto Kidnapping: Bride, Parents Freed After Seven Weeks in Bandits’ Captivity

A bride, her parents and several friends abducted by armed bandits in Sokoto State have been released after spending nearly two months in captivity, highlighting once again the growing toll of kidnappings in northern Nigeria.

The victims were seized in Chacho village, Wurno Local Government Area, and were freed on Tuesday following the payment of ransom, according to a security analyst.

The development was disclosed in a post on X by Bakatsine, a well-known analyst who tracks security incidents across the region. He said the group had endured seven weeks in captivity before their release.

“They were released yesterday following ransom payments and are currently receiving medical care at Isa Hospital,” Bakatsine wrote, confirming that the victims were undergoing treatment in Sokoto State.

The abduction had drawn widespread concern, particularly because it involved a bride and her parents, compounding the trauma for their family and community. While the exact date of the kidnapping was not specified, the seven-week ordeal underscores the persistent threat posed by banditry in rural areas of the North-West.

Bakatsine also raised concerns over the recurring cycle of abductions and ransom payments, questioning how long communities would continue to suffer such attacks before lasting security measures are put in place.

“How many more abductions, ransom payments and traumatised families will it take before lasting security reaches these communities?” he asked.

As of Wednesday, security agencies and state authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

Sokoto State, like several others in the region, has faced repeated attacks by armed groups targeting villages, travellers and communities, often holding victims for ransom amid limited security presence in remote areas.