Bandits Free 50 Kidnapped Victims From Sokoto Deputy Governor’s Community, Impose Levy

Sokoto: Bandits Release 50 Kidnapped Victims From Deputy Governor’s Community, Impose Security Levy

BY NICHOLAS DEKERA

Gunmen have released about 50 abducted 50 residents of Garin Idi, the hometown of Sokoto State Deputy Governor, Idris Mohammed Gobir after collecting 600,000 thousand naira part payment out of 1.6million naira ransom money demanded initialy.

A resident who spoke on anonymity said the attackers invaded the village between 11pm on Monday and operated till 1am on Tuesday morning, firing sporadically before splitting into two groups and moving through different parts of the community.

Lawali, a local hunter from the community who spoke on phone with LEADERSHIP said one of the groups invaded a family house and abducted 30 women while another group went to an Islamic school where more than 20 men, comprising both elderly and younger Qur’anic students also abducted, bringing the total number of victims to about than 50.

He said before leaving the village, the bandits released one of the captives and instructed him to inform the village head, the Imam and other community leaders to meet them in the forest for negotiations.

“About 7 elders went to meet them in the forest, during the discussions, the bandits demanded N1 million for the women and N600,000 for the other abductees,” the resident said.

He said that after the meeting, residents went from house to house under the supervision of the village head and the Imam to raised N600,000, which was delivered to the bandits.

“Immediately they received the money, they released all those abducted but insisted that the community must pay the remaining N1 million within two days,” he added.

Some villagers who spoke on anonymity said the threat had heightened fears in the community as bandits returned to the village at about 7 p.m. on Tuesday, demanding more victims or N300,000 from the community.

“The villagers hurriedly raised the N300,000 and handed it over to them. The bandits remained in the village for 4hours before eventually leaving.
The residents appealed to the government, as well as security agencies to urgently improve security in the agrarian community.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, said the command had not received any report of the incident.

“ I have received so many calls from your colleagues, am also trying to reach the DPO because officially we are not aware and you know people in most rural communities do not usually report such incidents to the police.” Rufai maintained