By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto
A joint operation led by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) has successfully rescued four victims from a bandits’ den in Sokoto.
During the operation, one of the rescued victims, Malam Umar Umar Dankoli Kagarar Rima, recounted his ordeal. He revealed that he and his 13-year-old granddaughter were kidnapped 26 days ago.
Speaking about their captivity, Malam Dankoli said the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of ₦50 million but later reduced it to ₦10 million. After some days, family members managed to raise ₦1 million through contributions. The amount was taken to the bandits’ camp in Malafana Bush by Malam Dankoli’s eldest son about nine days ago.
However, upon delivering the ransom, his son was also detained by the bandits, who continued to insist on receiving the full ₦10 million before releasing the hostages.
Malam Dankoli and the other victims remained in captivity until the joint security team stormed the bandits’ camp and rescued them.
Garba Muhammad, the Director of Press Affairs to the Deputy Governor, provided additional details. He highlighted the comments of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Colonel Abdulhamid Usman (Retired), who attributed the recent successes in tackling banditry to the unwavering support of Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto.
According to Colonel Abdulhamid, significant breakthroughs have been recorded in the fight against banditry in the state over the past 11 days. He also appealed to residents to continue providing timely and useful information to security agencies, emphasizing that such cooperation is vital for sustaining the momentum in combating criminal activities
