IBRAHEEM MUHAMMAD
Barely 48 hours after armed bandits raided some communities in the Munya Local Government area of Niger State, armed gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday invaded the Zagzaga community in the same local government.
No fewer than 63 villagers were reportedly kidnapped in the latest incident, while one person was killed and many others injured by the gun-wielding bandits.
investigations showed that among those kidnapped was the wife of the village head of the community and sons of the counsellor representing Zagzaga ward.
It was also learnt that two local vigilantes and some youths who tried to repel the attack were also among those injured.
According to an eyewitness, the gunmen stormed the community in the wee hours of Wednessday and started shooting indiscriminately thereby creating panic in the villagers and in the confusion that ensued, the 63 villagers, including the wife of the village head, were abducted.
The eyewitness said the gunmen also went on a looting spree, breaking the houses of the villagers and making away with valuable items found in the homes.
He said the women among those kidnapped were forced to carry the looted items to a place where the bandits must have kept their vehicles.
It was learnt that men of the local vigilance group were unable to contain the assault by the gunmen because of their numerical strength and weapons.
The eyewitness said an SOS was sent to the security base at Sarkin-Pawa but till the time the gunmen disappeared with their victims and stolen goods, there was no response from the security posts.
Further investigations revealed that the leadership of the local government went into an emergency security meeting in Sarkin- Pawa on Wednesday morning to fashion out the way out to the incessant attacks by armed gunmen in the area.
Secretary of the Local Government, Mr James Jagaba, when contacted on phone, confirmed the incident and the number of people missing “who we believe are with the gunmen”.
Jagaba also confirmed that one person was killed and many others injured, adding that the vigilantes in the area were not well equipped to counter the gunmen.
Asked if a report had been made to the state government, Jagaba answered in the affirmative, saying, “This type of report has become a regular occurrence; there is hardly a week that we don’t experience this type of a thing and reports are usually made”.
On Monday scores of bandits invaded the Kachiwe, old kabula and other communities in the same area, during which some houses and a motorcycle were reportedly burnt by the armed gunmen.
The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ibrahim Matane, when contacted, confirmed that incident but said he was yet to get the detail of the attack.
Matane assured that government and the security agencies would promptly take action to address the situation, insisting that the gunmen could be fleeing from the ongoing military operations in Kaduna and Zamfara states.
Niger shares boundaries with these states at the Munya and Shiroro local government area’s axis.