The father of the abducted bride-to-be in Sokoto State, Mallam Umar Chacho, has broken his silence over the recent attack on Chacho village, describing the incident as devastating and traumatic for the entire community.

Speaking to our reporter during a visit to the village on Monday, Mallam Umar said he could not confirm whether the attack specifically targeted his family, but noted that the bandits headed straight to his residence after storming the community.

“We were sitting outside when we heard gunshots. I immediately told my friends that those were not the usual gunshots fired by our community guards.

“Before we knew it, the bandits appeared on motorcycles. My friends and I fled into a nearby bush,” he recalled.

According to him, the attackers shot his son when he attempted to escape, leaving him with injuries to his cheek and a broken left hand.

“They went straight to the room where my daughter—the bride—and her bridesmaids were sleeping. They threatened to shoot the door open if no one unlocked it. Eventually, one of the occupants opened the door, and the bandits took my daughter and her friends away,” he said.

The gunmen also abducted two elderly men, bringing the total number of kidnapped persons in the attack to 13.

Malam Umar further narrated the family’s struggle to get medical help for his injured son.

“We rushed him to the hospital that night, but the personnel on duty refused to attend to us. It was not until the next morning that we took him to another hospital, where he finally received treatment. He is now recovering,” he explained.

He added that the kidnappers contacted the family on Sunday, demanding to speak with the village head.

“The bandits called yesterday and said they wanted to talk to the village head. But we told them we are the rightful people to speak with since we are the parents of the abducted children. After that, they never called back.” he said

The father lamented that this was not the first time bandits had attacked their village.

“We have lost over 30 people in previous attacks,” he said, describing the recurring violence as overwhelming.

Chacho, one of the major settlements in Wurno Local Government Area, has no security outpost—an absence residents say gives bandits the freedom to invade at will.

The village also lacks essential amenities such as electricity and potable water, further compounding the community’s vulnerability and hardship. (Daily Trust)