Muhammad Bawa, the Sarkin Kudun Gatawa of Gatawa District in Sokoto State, who was kidnapped by bandits nearly a month ago, has reportedly died while in captivity.
The grim news surfaced on Wednesday after local news sources confirmed his death.
According to reports from Leadership, Bawa’s passing was confirmed by one of his sons, who revealed that the family had been informed of the monarch’s tragic demise in the bandits’ camp.
Bawa, along with his son and brother, had been abducted near Kwanan Maharba while returning from Sokoto. The kidnappers had demanded ₦1 billion in ransom for their release.
In a heartbreaking plea for his life, the elderly monarch appeared in a viral video just days ago, wearing blood-stained clothes and shackled in chains. Bawa appealed to the Sokoto State Government, the Sultanate Council, and his relatives to urgently meet the ransom demand to save him.
“I am seeking the help of the government. I am their servant, and I have served them for 74 years, including 45 years in government service,” Bawa stated, emphasizing the urgency as the bandits had set a deadline for his execution if the ransom was not paid.
Despite his desperate appeal, the ransom was not paid, and Bawa tragically passed away in captivity, leaving his family and community in mourning.
