Sheikh Bashar Danfili, a renowned Islamic cleric in Sokoto State, is pleading for financial assistance from the general public after terrorists kidnapped six of his relatives on their way to an undisclosed village in the State.
In a short video posted on social media platforms, the Sheikh Danfili said the victims include a man, his mother, stepmother, two wives and sister.
The cleric explained that that the terrorists had demanded huge amount of money which he and his family could not raise, lamenting that the deadline was fast approaching.
According to Danfili: “The bandits have kidnapped my close relatives. I don’t want to disclose their names. They were on their way to a village when they were attacked and kidnapped.
“Their driver was killed on the spot and the bandits fed their dogs with his flesh. But the rest are still in captivity, including a husband, his mother, stepmother, two wives and his sister.
“The bandits have demanded a huge amount of money, which runs into millions of Naira. We cannot raise it. I am a scholar, I don’t have anything. My job is only to teach people with the books that you can see behind me.
“And they gave us deadline within which the money must be paid or they would kill all of them. I know they can do that, looking at what happened recently to a traditional ruler in the state, who was killed by his abductors.
“Therefore, I am pleading for help from the general public so that we can be able to pay the ransom and get them released.”
1 Comment
Although I sympathize with Sheikh Bashar Danfili, a renowned Islamic cleric in Sokoto State, for the kidnapping of his people who were on their way to a village when they were attacked and kidnapped, their driver was killed on the spot. The bandits fed their dogs with the flesh of the driver killed leaving behind a husband, his mother, stepmother, two wives, and his sister, six of them altogether in their captivity. Still, he should not forget that the bandits' actions go a long way with their teachings and beliefs. These same people started the Boko Haram. I think it is about time for the Nigerian government to stamp out kidnapping and ransom-taking in the country. This practice should not be a no-go area in any part of the country. The government can use the stick-and-carrot approach to eliminate these illicit practices and if the government does not know the carrot-and-stick approach, let the government through the EFCC or individuals that know come together and design this policy. If this is done properly, there is a likelihood that kidnapping for ransom will be a thing of the past. Now the bandits have demanded a huge amount of money, which runs into millions of Naira, the carrot and stick approach could be used and parents and relatives should warn their young men and women to desist from reaping from where they did not sow.