Bandits Kill 3, Kidnap 10, Take Petrol as Ransom in Niger

Bandits Kill 3, Kidnap 10, Take Petrol as Ransom in Niger

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Three people, including a woman and her daughter, have been killed as bandits invaded some communities in the Rafi Local Government area of Niger State last weekend.

During the operation by the bandits, not less than 10 villagers were said to have also been abducted and taken into hiding.

The first incident occurred on Friday at Angwar Bulus and Tungan Makeri where the woman and her daughter were reportedly killed in the vicarage of a church.

In the second incident, according to a report, 10 villagers were kidnapped on Saturday at Maikujeri village.

The Saturday operation took place immediately Governor Abubakar Sani Bello left Kagara town, the headquarters of the local government area, after visiting displaced people at the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camps.

THISDAY learnt that the bandits demanded petrol as ransom for the release of some villagers kidnapped at Tungan Makeri and Angwar Bulus.

“I am aware that N80,000 worth of petrol in Jerry cans were taken to the bandits in the bush.

“They have their contacts. It is the contacts that the relations of the victims took the petrol to before they were taken into the forest,” an eyewitness told THISDAY on phone.

He said: “A lot of things is happening here and government is not doing anything about it. We cannot move freely from 4pm to 7am. These bandits are moving freely here.”

The witness however debunked claims that those kidnapped were from the Baptist Church in Pandogari but said: “Those kidnapped are Christians and Muslims.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Muhammad Abubakar, said: “We have heard such information but we have not confirmed anything.”

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