Sheikh Bashar Danfili, an Islamic cleric in Sokoto State, has appealed to the general public for financial assistance following the kidnapping of six of his relatives.
It was gathered that the victims – a man, his mother, stepmother, two wives, and his sister – were abducted by bandits on their way to an undisclosed village in the state.
In a video seen by Daily Trust, Sheikh Danfili disclosed that the bandits killed the driver on the spot and gruesomely fed his flesh to their dogs.
According to the report, Danfili stated the bandits had demanded a substantial ransom, which they were unable to afford, and that the deadline for payment was rapidly approaching.
Danfili said, “The bandits have kidnapped my close relatives, though I prefer not to disclose their names. They were on their way to a village when they were attacked and taken. The driver was killed instantly, and the bandits used his flesh to feed their dogs.
“The remaining captives include a husband, his mother, stepmother, two wives, and his sister. The bandits have demanded millions of Naira, which we cannot raise.
“I am a scholar with no financial means; my job is to teach from the books you see behind me. They have given us a deadline to pay the ransom or face the execution of all the captives. I fear they will follow through, especially after the recent killing of a traditional ruler in the state by his abductors.”
“Thus, I am urgently appealing to the public for assistance to help us meet the ransom demand and secure their release,” he said