A captured Sokoto bride-to-be and her bridesmaids have been finally freed after being held captive by bandits for 49 harrowing days.

According to reports, the victims were abducted just hours before their wedding ceremony in Chacho village, Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Local sources further confirmed that they were released after their families paid a ransom of ₦10 million, alongside three brand-new motorcycles and other items.

Highlighting the heavy insecurity in the region, residents confirmed that the incident shattered the village’s joy, which had been building as wedding preparations reached their climax.

According to the sources, barely 24 hours before the ceremony, armed bandits stormed the village under the cover of darkness, went straight to the bride’s residence, and abducted her and her friends.

An anonymous family member said the attack left the community in shock, fear, and helplessness, with unarmed villagers defenceless against the heavily armed abductors.

Intelligence later revealed that the abducted women were held in a bandits’ enclave deep within the Sububu forest, which spans parts of the Isa and Sabon Birni local government areas and stretches into Zamfara State and the Niger Republic.

The forest has long been a notorious hideout for gangs terrorising communities across Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara states.

After being freed, the victims were rushed to a secret hospital for medical care due to their poor condition and security issues. (Nigerian Tribune; but headline reworked)

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