Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The bandits who kidnapped a bride and 62 wedding guests in Damari, Sabuwa LGA of Katsina State, last Thursday have released a video showing the captives and dishing out a threat.
It was said that the women were accompanying the new bride to her husband’s home when the incident happened.
A video that has gone viral on social media shows the group of bandits making threats, demanding ransom from the captor’s relatives, or else they will force the already-married bride to marry someone else.
In the video, the leader of the gang, dressed in a police uniform, stated that there were 63 captives.
They also threatened to sell off the other wedding guests if their demands were not met.
The bride and the wedding guests who were part of the convoy were abducted on Thursday, February 1.
The victims, who were reportedly friends of the bride from Dandume, were ambushed at Sabuwa while they were on their way in an open van.
“I am the one who abducted them, and I will never release them until ransom is paid. And if there is anyone who thinks they could rescue them, they should try it,” the gang leader said in the video.
The Katsina State Government said that it had begun rescue operations in response to the kidnapping incident.
The state Internal Security Commissioner, Muazu Nasiru, said on Thursday, February 3, that the government was aware of the kidnapping of the wedding guests and had launched operations to ensure that the victims were rescued.