Nineteen persons have been reportedly kidnapped by gunmen in Ogu and Tegina communities in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.
Ogu is a settlement close to Wayam about two kilometres away from Kagara, headquarters of Rafi Local Government.
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A resident of Ogu, Kamal Mamman Wayam, said the gunmen stormed the community on Sunday morning and shot sporadically into the air.
Wayam said: “The gunmen in their large numbers arrived Ogu on motorcycles. Before we knew what was happening, they started shooting into the air. They ransacked people’s houses and carted away whatever valuable they could lay their hands on. They also abducted six persons from Ogu, including two visitors.”
The attack on Tegina was said to have happened at about 12:30 am on Monday.
A resident of the community, Sani Gamachindo, said thirteen persons were abducted.
“The gunmen entered the room of my daughter that night. But she hid under the bed, while her husband went up the ceiling. When the gunmen entered their room, they spent 30 minutes and ate almost all the food in the kitchen. Thank God, they were not abducted. But thirteen persons were kidnapped,” Gamachindo explained.
The latest attacks in Rafi Local Government came barely four days after gunmen abducted a youth leader of the All Progressives Congress, the District Head of Gunna and two children of two health workers in Garin Gabbas and Yakila communities in the same local government.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Niger State Command, ASP Wasiu Abiodun, said he would get back to our reporter, but was yet to do so as at press time.
Meanwhile, a pastor with the Evangelical Church Winning All, ECWA, has been killed by gunmen in Chukuba, Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.
The clergyman, identified as Pastor Jeremiah Ibrahim, was serving with ECWA Gospel Kubwa, Kuta in the local government.
A senior official of ECWA Goodnews Church, Minna, who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said, Pastor Ibrahim had gone to check his farm in Chukuba and decided to visit a colleague who was the resident pastor of Chukuba when he was attacked and killed.
He said the deceased had been buried.
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