Bandits have reportedly abducted many farmers in Kaffin-Koro and adjoining communities in Paikoro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State while many others have fled.
Some of the fleeing residents who spoke to our correspondent around 7pm said that there had yet to be security operatives on the ground to save the situation.
Daily Trust gathered that the attackers arrived in the community in large numbers around 4pm and operated until 7pm during which an unspecified number of people were kidnapped.
Sources said before the attacks on Kaffin-Koro Wednesday evening, Abolo, Kudani, Nani, Kuna, Shunakwa, Sikiti, Zubakere and Jubidiga villages had been raided on Tuesday where one person was killed in Sikiti while dozens of farmers were abducted from the eight villages.
Residents of the villages earlier attacked were taking refuge in Kaffin-Koro when the bandits struck again.
A resident, Abraham Tanko, said many of the villagers escaped into the bush.
“As I speak with you, we are in the bush. We were lucky to have escaped. They came in large numbers on motorbikes and raided the entire Kaffin-Koro town. A lady close to our house was among those they kidnapped. She was about to run when they threatened to shoot her and she fell,” he said.
Daily Trust gathered that bandits also raided Shambo, Sabon Wuse and Old Rijau in Rijau LGA of the state in the early hours of Wednesday.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRP) in Niger State, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, did not respond to calls to his phone and had yet to reply to a message sent to his phone as of the time of filing this report.
Also, efforts to reach out to the Niger State Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Affairs, Emmanuel Umar, did not yield results as his number did not connect.
