Sheikh Bashar Danfili, a prominent cleric in Sokoto State, has appealed for financial assistance from the public following the kidnapping of six of his relatives by bandits while they were traveling to an undisclosed village in the state.

In a short video posted on social media platforms, the cleric said the victims include a man, his mother, stepmother, two wives and sister.

He said the bandits had demanded huge amount of money which they could not raise,  adding that the deadline was fast approaching.

Danfili said: “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.”