Bandits Abduct Over 150 People in Gobir Days After Killing Emir

Bandits have abducted over 150 individuals and rustled more than 1,000 cattle from several villages in the Gobir Emirate, Sokoto State, Nigeria.

This incident occurred just days after the tragic killing of the kidnapped Emir of Gobir, Alhaji Isa Muhammad Bawa.

The Emir, who was also the District Head of Gatawa, was kidnapped on July 29 along with his son and six others while traveling on the Sokoto-Sabon Birni Road.

A viral video showed the Emir pleading for ransom payment before he was ultimately killed when the deadline passed.

The state government imposed a curfew in Sabon Birni following protests that erupted due to the monarch's death. Despite these measures, bandits returned to the area, leading to further abductions.

Professor Bello Bada of Usmanu Danfodio University confirmed the latest abductions, expressing frustration over the situation.

"The most painful thing about it is that some important people in the area could access the telephone numbers of the bandits and could even have conversations with them. Why? It means the bandits are known," he said.

He questioned the effectiveness of local intelligence, asking, "How did the bandits pass through villages and towns without being noticed?" Aminu Boza, a member of the Sokoto State House of Assembly representing Sabon Birni (North), reported that 151 people were abducted between Tsamaye and Sabon Birni. "A day after the death of Sarkin Gobir, the bandits attacked Tsamaye village again, killing some people and abducting unspecified others.

They also attacked Yanfaruna village and abducted 22 people and went to the next village and abducted 11 people. So, a total of 192 people have been abducted and they are still in captivity," Boza stated.

He also highlighted the economic impact, noting that over 20,000 hectares of land have been lost to bandit activities, severely affecting local agriculture.

Boza appealed to the federal government to address the ongoing plight of Sabon Birni residents. "We have lost over 92 percent of our wealth to these bandits," he lamented.