The father of one of the 13 persons abducted during last weekend’s armed assault on Chacho village in Sokoto State says the incident is only the latest chapter in a long, painful history of violence suffered by the community.
In an interview on Monday, Malam Umar Chacho described the attack that led to the kidnapping of his daughter—whose wedding preparations were underway—as part of a pattern of unrestrained bandit aggression that has claimed dozens of lives over the years.
According to him, residents were still engaged in their usual evening conversation when the first shots rang out. But the sound, he said, was unmistakably different from those fired by the village’s volunteer security guards.
“Immediately, I told my friends that something was wrong. Before we could make sense of it, motorcycles emerged from the darkness and the attackers were already inside the village,” he recounted.
Malam Umar and others fled into nearby bushes. His son, who attempted to escape in another direction, was shot and suffered facial injuries and a fractured arm.
The assailants then proceeded to the family home, breaking into the room where the bride-to-be and her companions were sleeping. They whisked away the young women along with two elderly men, raising the number of abductees to 13.
The distraught father also described the difficulties the family faced while seeking urgent medical attention for his wounded son. A hospital they rushed to late that night declined to admit the victim, forcing them to try elsewhere the following morning. Treatment began only after they reached another facility, where the boy is now recuperating.
Malam Umar confirmed that the kidnappers made contact on Sunday, insisting on speaking with the village head—an offer the family rejected, stressing their direct connection to the victims. Since then, communication has ceased.
He lamented that the attack did not come as a surprise to villagers who have endured multiple raids without any security presence in the area.
“This village has suffered too much. More than 30 of our people have been killed in previous attacks. We have cried out repeatedly, but nothing has changed,” he said.
