Bandits Abduct 13 Women and Girls in Nigeria's Sokoto State

Armed bandits abducted at least 13 women and girls, including a bride and her bridesmaids, during a nighttime raid on the village of Chacho in Nigeria's northwestern Sokoto State, residents reported, underscoring the persistent insecurity plaguing rural communities in the region. The attack occurred late Saturday, hours before the bride's scheduled wedding, as assailants stormed homes in the Wurno Local Government Area, firing shots and taking captives under cover of darkness. One resident was injured in the assault, and no official ransom demands have been made public as families await news of the victims' fate.

Local accounts vary slightly on the number of abductees, with some residents estimating up to 30 women and girls taken, while others confirmed 13 women, an infant, and the baby's mother. Aliyu Abdullahi, a Chacho resident, described the scene: "Bandits stormed our village last night and kidnapped 14 persons, including a bride and 10 bridesmaids, from a house in Zango neighbourhood." The village had faced a similar raid in October, when 13 people were seized and later freed after a ransom payment. Chacho, home to the state's Commissioner for Special Duties, Alhaji Shehu...