After 49 Days in Captivity, Sokoto Bride Freed as Family Pays ₦10m, Motorcycles to Bandits

After 49 Days in Captivity, Sokoto Bride Freed as Family Pays ₦10m, Motorcycles to Bandits

A young bride and her bridesmaids have regained freedom after spending 49 days in the hands of bandits in Sokoto State, but only after their families paid a ransom of ₦10 million and surrendered three motorcycles.

Local sources said the victims regained their freedom only after their families raised a ransom of ₦10 million, three brand-new motorcycles and other items, underscoring the deep human and economic toll of insecurity on rural communities.

The abduction shattered what had been a joyful atmosphere in the village, as wedding preparations were nearing completion. Barely 24 hours to the ceremony, armed bandits reportedly stormed the community under the cover of darkness, went straight to the bride’s home and whisked her and her companions away.

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A family member, who spoke anonymously, said the incident threw the entire village into shock and fear, leaving residents helpless against heavily armed attackers.

The victims were later discovered to have been held in a bandits’ enclave within the Sububu Forest, a vast stretch spanning parts of Isa and Sabon Birni local government areas, extending into Zamfara State and the Niger Republic. The forest is widely known as a hideout for criminal gangs operating across Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.

Following their release, a relative said the freed captives were taken to an undisclosed hospital for medical attention due to security concerns and their fragile condition.

The prolonged captivity, the source explained, was caused by the family’s inability to immediately meet the bandits’ repeatedly changing demands.

“We are villagers; we don’t have such money,” the source said. “We sold livestock and valuables and sought help from well-meaning people to raise the ransom.”

Negotiations reportedly lasted seven weeks, eventually costing the family ₦10 million in cash, three motorcycles valued at about ₦1.8 million each, and additional food supplies.

Reacting to the development, the Sokoto State Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Rufai, said the command was yet to receive full details of the incident but would liaise with the relevant divisional office, as calls grow for lasting solutions to Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.

After 49 Days in Captivity, Sokoto Bride Freed as Family Pays ₦10m, Motorcycles to Bandits