No fewer than 30 women and girls were abducted on Saturday night when armed bandits attacked Chacho community in Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
According to a report shared on X by security analyst Bakatsine, the attackers stormed the community under the cover of darkness, injuring one resident and whisking away scores of victims, among them a bride and her bridesmaids who were preparing for a wedding slated for the next day.
The incident adds to the rising wave of mass abductions across the North-West, where communities have suffered repeated raids by armed groups. Authorities have not yet released an official statement on the attack.
Bakatsine wrote:
“On Saturday night, bandits invaded Chacho community in Wurno LGA of Sokoto State. They injured one person and abducted at least 30 women and girls, including a bride and her bridesmaids. A day meant for joy and celebration was thrown into mourning.”
The assault comes amid escalating attacks on rural settlements, schools, and places of worship in the region. Security forces have since increased deployments, with more soldiers and tactical police teams dispatched to affected areas.
In a separate incident, tragedy struck in Kofar Sauri community within the Katsina metropolitan area, where a man, his wife, and their three children died in a house fire in the early hours of Monday. Most of the household items were also destroyed.
A resident, who requested anonymity, said the fire started shortly after electricity was restored to the area, noting that there was an unusually high power surge at the time.
He claimed the local power company frequently restores electricity late at night and sometimes at dangerously high voltage levels.
Another resident suggested that the intensifying harmattan winds might have contributed to the fire, pointing out that similar incidents often occur during the cold, windy season.
However, some locals have called on security agencies to investigate the incident thoroughly to rule out the possibility of sabotage.
