Blood-stained Sokoto emir begs for rescue from bandits in video

The Emir of Sabon Birni in Sokoto State, Isa Bawa, has begged the state government to secure his release from bandits in a video released by the bandits.

Mr Bawa and his son were kidnapped on 18 July while travelling to the state capital from Sabon Birni.The bandits immediately demanded payment of N1 billion ransom for their release.

In a video released on Wednesday by the terrorists, a terrified Mr Bawa is seen in a blood-soaked cloth begging for rescue from the forest stronghold of the bandits.

He said the time set by the bandits for his release or execution elapsed on Wednesday.The terrorists released the video on the said day, but it is unclear whether the traditional ruler is still alive.

The police spokesperson in Sokoto, Ahmed Rufa’i, a superintendent of police, confirmed the identity of the traditional ruler in the video.Mr Rufa’i told Newsmen Sunday morning that security agencies in the state were working to rescue Mr Bawa

In the video, the traditional ruler is wearing a blood-stained garment with his hands tied to his back.A voice in the background is heard dictating to him what to say at the beginning of the video.

The blood stain on the hostage’s garment is not fresh, and he is not bleeding in the video, contrary to what the terrorists ask him to say.“I have bullet wounds, and I am under treatment,” the traditional ruler says, begging the Sokoto State government to rescue him from the captives.“My brothers, fans, friends and elders know this is the last day (Wednesday). If you want to assist me, please do.

“I am notifying you that these people (terrorists) have done their best and are exhausted, but the government has not helped despite me being an official of the government. I am 74 years old and have been a traditional ruler for about 45 years”, he says.

Mr Bawa and his son were ambushed in the Kwanar Maharba area while travelling from Sokoto to his home town, Sabon Birni, the headquarters of Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Several terrorist groups are operating in the area, one of the terrorism frontline local council areas.

No group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of the monarch and his son.
However, in an earlier video, a terrorism kingpin, Bello Turji, blamed the kidnapped incidents on groups operating from Sokoto town.

Mr Turji said the groups relocated to Sokoto town after the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, allegedly empowered them under a failed amnesty programme when he was governor of Zamfara State.

He alleged that some of the bandits involved in the scheme moved to the Sokoto metropolis after giving their arms to their boys, who continued kidnapping for ransom. He said the boys were making returns to their leaders living in Sokoto town.
He named some bandits living in Sokoto town as Bashari Maniya, Kabiru and Buhari. He said they control gangs operating in the bush in the area.