A night that should have ushered in celebration in Chacho village, Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State, ended in terror as armed bandits invaded the community late Saturday, whisking away a bride, her bridesmaids and several others.
Residents said the bride, who was hours away from her wedding ceremony scheduled for Sunday morning, was taken alongside women who had converged to keep her company ahead of the event.
Eyewitness accounts indicated that the attackers stormed the settlement at a time many households had retired, catching the community off guard.
Chacho, the hometown of the Commissioner for Special Duties, Alhaji Shehu Alhaji Chacho, has now joined the growing list of communities battling repeated abductions in the state.
The attack occurred barely hours after a ransom said to include four million naira and a motorcycle was reportedly paid to secure the release of kidnap victims in Rabah town, headquarters of Rabah Local Government Area and birthplace of the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello.
A resident, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal, confirmed the incident to our correspondent.
He said the gunmen invaded the community at about midnight, shooting sporadically before whisking away the bride and others.
He described the raid as “heartbreaking,” recalling how women, children and the elderly fled into bushes while the attackers operated without challenge.
Attempts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmed Rufai, were unsuccessful as calls and a text message seeking confirmation went unanswered at press time.
The state chairman of the APC, Hon. Isah Sadeeq Achida, confirmed the attack but could not verify reports that a bride was among those taken. “Some residents of the village were abducted, but I don’t have the exact number at present,” says the APC chairman.
Community members told The Nation that Chacho has been on edge due to recurring attacks in neighbouring areas, noting that the latest incident has thrown families—particularly those preparing for the wedding—into distress.
They lamented that the ransom paid in Rabah earlier in the day had raised hopes of a lull in hostilities, only for the Chacho attack to deepen fears.
According to residents, the bandits have yet to contact the family of the bride or the village leadership, leaving relatives confused and apprehensive.
As the community awaits further updates, uncertainty and grief continue to overshadow Chacho, a village once known for its tranquillity but now struggling against a surge of insecurity sweeping across Sokoto State.
Authorities have yet to issue an official statement, while residents plead for urgent intervention, insisting they have been left vulnerable for too long.