The journey to marital bliss turned into a nightmare as armed bandits abducted a newly-wed bride and her companions in Damari, Sabuwa Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State.
The audacious attack occurred last Thursday when the bandits targeted a van transporting the wedding party in the Sabuwa area.
During the assault, at least four members of a vigilante group that came to the wedding party’s aid lost their lives.
Reports from the villagers indicate that approximately 55 wedding guests, predominantly women, were forcefully abducted and have been held hostage since the incident.
In a disturbing video trending on social media, the bandits threatened to marry the already married bride to one of them unless the captives’ relatives paid a ransom of N100 million.
The video showed the captives, with AK-47 rifles draped around their necks, and the bride was seen dressed in an army uniform, with one of the bandits saying, “Here is the bride adorned in army uniform.”
The captives were heard pleading for help, asking their relatives to pay the ransom. They claimed they were not harmed in any way by the bandits yet.
Among the captives are eight sisters and nine daughters of a single family, highlighting the depth of the tragedy.
The bandits, seemingly undeterred by the gravity of their actions, openly challenged Governor Dikko Umar Radda, who had reportedly pledged to rescue the victims.
The gang leader, adorned in a police uniform, arrogantly asserted responsibility for the abduction and warned against any rescue attempts.
“I am the one who abducted them, and I will never release them until the ransom is paid. And if there is anyone who thinks they could rescue them, they should try it,” declared the bandit leader in the video.
Moreover, the criminals threatened to forcibly remarry the newly-wed bride unless their exorbitant ransom demands were met, further intensifying the anguish for the victims’ families.
The family members of the abducted victims have confirmed the ransom demand but expressed their inability to provide such a substantial amount.
