Armed men suspected to be bandits on Tuesday and early hours of Wednesday, attacked two communities in Rafi local government area of Niger state, killing about eight persons in their wake.
The attackers also kidnapped the District Head of Madaka, Alhaji Zakari Yau, his wife, the village head of Kukoki and four others others, fleeing villagers said.
“They also took the Secretary of the district council and a retired soldier,” one of them disclosed.
He said the woman kidnapped is a nursing mother who was taken along with her baby.
The natives who would not want to be named because “they always come back” explained that the bandits numbering over 100 stormed the area at about 10pm Tuesday and started shooting sporadically into the air before resorting to house-to-house raid.
He said the attackers shot seven people at close range killing them, while one was dragged out and slaughtered.
He added that five people who sustained bullet wounds were taken to Kagara for medical attention.
They were said to have ransacked all the houses and shops in the community and looted goods and food stuff, even as they were said to have rustled cows and other animals.
In Madaka, although no life was confirmed lost, bandits were said to have looted property and rustled cows even as many people were displaced.
The state government said its collaborating with the security agencies in tackling the menace.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mrs. Mary Noel Berje said security operatives are already combing the areas with the view to fishing out the bandits.
“Niger state government is working along side security agencies in the state to stem the bandits activities at the flash points, so as to bring succour and peace to the affected and surrounding communities
“The State Government is aware that the bandits are crossing over from neighboring states such as Zamfara and Kaduna axis to Allawa and Erena axis and from Brini-Gwari adjacent Kamuku National Park, we will do everything to stop their migration into the state,” the statement noted.
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