Alhaji Isa Muhammad Bawa, the Sarkin Gobir of Gatawa District in Sokoto State, has been brutally killed by bandits after being abducted, tortured, and dehumanized.
The tragic incident was confirmed by a social media post on Wednesday afternoon by Idris4Peace, who revealed that the bandits had released a distressing video showing the traditional leader pleading for his life and appealing to the government for assistance.
Idris4Peace’s post read: “Sarkin Gobir, a traditional leader in Sokoto, was executed by deadly armed bandits after being abducted, tortured, and dehumanized. The bandits released a video showing the leader pleading for his life and appealing to the government for help.”
The abduction of the Sarkin Gobir occurred in July, when Bawa and his son were kidnapped by terrorists in the Kwanar Maharba area while traveling from Sokoto to his hometown, Sabon Birni, the headquarters of Sabon Birni Local Government Area.
The bandits attacked the Emir’s vehicle, causing the tires to burst and the car to lose control, forcing it to stop. The district head and his driver, who was also his biological son, were then taken by the assailants.
Shortly after the abduction, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of N1 billion for the release of their captives.
In a video that was later released online, the Sarkin Gobir, speaking in the Hausa language, narrated the harrowing details of their kidnapping and the suffering they endured while being held in the forest by the terrorists. He urgently pleaded with the government to intervene and save their lives.
In the same video, one of the gunmen could be heard speaking in Hausa, dictating to the victims what to say, further illustrating the dire situation faced by the Sarkin Gobir and his son.
The news of the traditional leader’s brutal execution has sent shockwaves through the region, highlighting the ongoing insecurity and the dangers posed by banditry in Sokoto State and other parts of northern Nigeria.