Bandits kill 21, abduct 40 in fresh Niger attack

A renewed bandits’ attack on communities in Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State has claimed at least 21 lives while 40 others are kidnapped.

The attack, according to eyewitnesses, occurred on Monday when gunmen said to be numbering about 300 on motorcycles stormed four villages of Kurege, Sabon Gida, Sararai and Rafin Kanya, shooting sporadically.

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An indigene of the area, Malam Galadima Salisu, who witnessed the incident, while speaking with journalists on phone, expressed worry over the incessant attacks.

Salisu said the area could be taken over by the bandits who had been operating freely if governments at all levels failed to assist them.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Wasiu Abiodun, could not be reached for comments and confirmation on the attack as at the time of filing this report as his number was not available.

The Secretary to Niger State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, when contacted, confirmed the incident but, however, denied knowledge of the actual number of the victims.

Matane maintained that the government was doing everything possible within its powers to address the problem of insecurity affecting the state.

No meaningful intervention from our gov’t — Youths

Meanwhile, some youths in the state have taken to the social media scoring their governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, low in comparison with his counterparts in Kaduna, Borno and Zamfara States.

The youth lamented that the state government had not intervened meaningfully to address the situation.

The post on the “Nigerlites speak out” Facebook wall received a lot of backlash as they insisted that they have a ‘Ghost Governor’ in the state.

The governor was accused of not showing any concern about the people being attacked and killed by the bandits.

While comparing Bello with his counterparts in Kaduna, Borno and Zamfara States, they said he fell behind and did not measure up to them.

The post that generated such reactions was posted by one Farida Bosso, which read: “Bandits are killing people in Niger State communities. In Kaduna State, we saw El-Rufai present in most scenes, Zulum is in every scene in his state, same to Matawalle of Zamfara State. But in Niger state, we have a ghost.”

The post, which had over 70 comments gave the majority of the youths an avenue to vent their anger.

One Khadijah Sumbo in her comment said: “Stop comparing El-Rufai and Zulum to your governor”, while Kabiru Pawa said: “We have a ghost governor in Niger State.”

Another comment that got the attention was the one by Samaila Garba who said: “We shall only be free in 2021. For now, we are in real trouble in Niger State.”