In a harrowing incident, at least 30 women, part of a bridal party en route to her new home, fell victim to a kidnapping by armed assailants along Gamji Road in Dandume Local Government Area of Katsina State on Thursday night.
The group, accompanied by the bride, was traveling in a truck towards Ungwan Murjiya village between 8:30 and 9:00 pm when they were ambushed by unidentified gunmen.
Reports from a local source indicate that the truck conductor sustained gunshot wounds and is currently undergoing treatment at Damari Hospital.
Simultaneously, in a separate incident around the same timeframe, gunmen believed to be from Siddi forest in Kaduna State invaded Tashar Nadaya village, near the Gazari district border of Sabuwa LGA. During this attack, a motorcycle rider lost his life, and his motorbike was stolen. Additionally, four other individuals were shot at, and their motorcycles were also seized.
Alhaji Basiru Musa, Chairman of Dandume Local Government Council, confirmed the distressing kidnappings. He acknowledged that unverified reports were suggesting that some women managed to escape the clutches of the abductors. Musa expressed his commitment to investigating these rumors and pledged to provide further updates as the situation unfolds.
The chairman clarified that although the abducted women were residents of Dandume, the incident occurred as they were returning from Sabuwa Local Government Area around 9:00 pm. Both Sabuwa and Dandume have been frequent targets of bandit attacks in Katsina State.
Despite continuous efforts by security forces, such criminal activities persist with alarming regularity, underscoring the challenges faced in maintaining security in the region. The abduction of a bridal party adds a particularly tragic dimension to the escalating security concerns in Katsina State. Authorities are grappling with the need to address these issues promptly and comprehensively to ensure the safety and well-being of residents in the affected areas.