Bandits Free 50 Kidnapped Sokoto Victims After Collecting N1m Ransom, Insist On N600,000 Balance

Gunmen have released 50 abducted residents of Garin Idi, the hometown of Sokoto State deputy governor, Idris Mohammed Gobir, after collecting N600,000 part payment of a N1.6 million ransom initial demand.

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

Also, a local hunter who identified himself as Lawali told LEADERSHIP Friday that one of the groups invaded a family’s house and abducted 30 women. Another group, according to him, went to an Islamic school where more than 20 men, comprising both elderly and younger Qur’anic students, were also abducted, bringing the total number of victims to over 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 seven 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,” he said.

He said that after the meeting, residents went from house to house under the supervision of the village head and the Imam to raise 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 condition of anonymity said the threat had heightened fears in the community as bandits returned to the village at about 7 pm 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 4 hours before eventually leaving.   Residents appealed to the government and 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.

He said, “We have received so many calls from your colleagues, and I 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.”