Eight persons have been reportedly killed and many others abducted in attacks on communities in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State between Tuesday and Wednesday night.
Three persons were killed Wednesday night in Maguzawa which is 25km from Kagara in Niger State and 12km from Birnin Gwari town in Kaduna State.
Multiple sources said among those kidnapped were women and children while many residents have fled their homes to Kagara and Pandogari in Niger State and Birnin Gwari.
A source who pleaded for anonymity said, “In Maguzawa, we have seen three corpses so far and they were slaughtered. We don’t know the number of people they went away with for now.”
The attack on Maguzawa came less than 48 hours when bandits Tuesday night raided Gidigore, a community also in Rafi Local Government Area, where at least five lives were lost and dozens abducted.
Residents told our correspondent that many communities in Rafi Local Government Area have been under the siege of bandits for the past three weeks.
Ibrahim Ahmad, whose brother was among those kidnapped Tuesday night in Gidigore, said many people had fled their homes to Kagara and Pandogari in Niger State and Burnin Gwari.
“In less than three weeks, we have witnessed about 10 different attacks on various communities in Rafi Local Government Area. It happens almost every day. Before the Tuesday attack last two weeks, bandits had attacked Gulbi, Unguwan-Jaye and Kusherki communities where eight persons were killed and 36 others kidnapped while one person was seriously injured.
“As I speak with you, they have demanded N50 million for the first set of people they kidnapped,” he said.
Ahmad said several houses and properties belonging to the peasant farmers were set ablaze during Tuesday’s attack that lasted for several hours.
He called for humanitarian support from government, organisations and individuals, especially of food and children’s clothes to cushion their hardship.
The Niger State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the attack on Gidigore but had yet to confirm the latest attack.
“During the attack, about three persons lost their lives and a yet-to-be-ascertained number of victims were abducted, while two houses were set ablaze,” he said.
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