One killed, 9 kidnapped as bandits attack Niger community

One person has been killed while nine others were kidnapped in an attack by armed bandits at Kagara, headquarters of Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.

There have been an increase in bandits’ attacks in the northern part of the country in the past few days.

According to information from sources in the area, the attack started around 2am on Tuesday and lasted for about three hours.

According to an eye witness, who prefer to remain anonymous, the armed bandits, who were over fifty in number, stormed Kagara low cost on about thirty motorcycles carrying dangerous weapons and started shooting sporadically to scare and create fear in the community.

He also reported that the bandits killed a retired Secretary General of Kagara hospital, Mr Joshua Twaki and kidnapped nine others among whom is a six months old child.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the State, ASP Wasiu Abiodun, said the State Commissioner of Police, Adamu Usman, had dispatched a police tactical team, Special Anti-robbery Squad and conventional police squad to the area to secure the people in the area.

The PPRO, who said the police were on top of the situation, advised the people not to panic.

He stressed the need for the residents to provide security agencies with useful information to perform their job well.