No fewer than 30 women and girls were reportedly abducted on Saturday night when armed bandits attacked Chacho community in Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The Guardian gathered that one resident was injured during the attack, according to a post on X by security analyst Bakatsine on Sunday.

According to the report, the assailants stormed the community under the cover of darkness and abducted scores of women and girls, including a bride and her bridesmaids, just hours before her scheduled wedding ceremony.

The mass abduction adds to the rising wave of insecurity across parts of the North-West, where communities continue to face frequent raids by armed groups. Authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

Bakatsine said the attackers invaded the community at night and whisked away the victims shortly before the planned wedding ceremony.

“On Saturday night, bandits invaded Chacho community in Wurno LGA of Sokoto State. They injured one person and abducted at least 30 women and girls, including a bride and her bridesmaids,” he wrote.

“A day meant for joy and celebration was thrown into mourning as bandits stormed the area and inflicted wounds. How much more pain must ordinary families endure before they find safety?” he added.

The attack comes amid an escalation in violent raids on schools, churches, and rural settlements across the region.

Security operatives have intensified deployments, with increased presence of soldiers and tactical police units as efforts continue to curb the crisis.

In related news, a man, his wife, and three children have lost their lives in an inferno at the Kofar Sauri community in the state metropolitan area of Katsina State.

The incident which occured in the early hours of Monday morning, also saw most of the household items burnt beyond recognition.

A source from the area who asked not to be named said the incident occurred shortly after power was restored to the area.

He said there was an unusual surge in electricity when power was restored, and that he suspected the surge may have been responsible for the inferno.

He said the local power company was notorious for restoring electricity mostly late at night, and that the level of power they sometimes supply to the community was very high voltage.

Another resident suggested that the harmattan wind, which had been gradually intensifying in the state over recent days, may have contributed to the fire incident.

He said the state had witnessed several fire incidents in the past, and that many of them were suspected to be as a result of the cold and windy weather.

However, another resident in the area called on relevant security agencies to investigate the circumstances that led to the inferno to rule out the possibility of sabotage.