Armed bandits kill one, kidnap 20 others in Borgu

Few days after President Muhammadu Buhari ordered air strike on bandits’ locations in Niger state, gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed one person while three others were seriously injured during the stampede that followed.

Also, no fewer than twenty others were kidnapped in the raid on several communities in Borgu local government area of the state.

The Imam of the Emir of Borgu Palace mosque simply called Malam Habibu was among those kidnapped, Daily Trust gathered.

The attack which occurred at about 5:30pm on Saturday was the first of such invasion in the area since the bandits launched an onslaught across communities in the state.

The bandits, who were said to be many in number, invaded the communities on motorcycles, and were carrying sophisticated guns, cutlasses and knives.

“They blocked the road from Ibbi to New Bussa and attacked the villagers going and coming from the markets in both communities,” a witness told our reporter.

A source close to one of the communities, who confided in our correspondent, disclosed that “we did not know that the Imam was among those kidnapped until on Sunday morning when they (kidnappers) called the Emir and asked for the payment of N20million for the release of the Imam.”

It was gathered that the bandits could have raided the areas from the National Park forests at Wawa.

It was also learnt that about 14 of the same set of bandits walked through the New Bussa town on Sunday but did not kidnap anyone.

The situation forced the Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Mohammed Haliru Dantoro, on Monday to summon an emergency security meeting with all security chiefs in the area on how to secure the release of those kidnapped with a similar meeting slated for Tuesday with all the district and village heads, our reporter gathered.

As at Monday evening, the area is said to be quiet and peaceful.

When contacted, Police spokesperson in the state could not be reached on phone as at the time of filing this report.