Laleye Dipo
Barely 48 hours after bandits raided some communities in the Munya Local Government Area of Niger State, some gunmen yesterday morning invaded Zagzaga community in the same LGA.
Not less than 63 villagers were reportedly kidnapped in the latest attack, while one person was killed and many others injured by the gun-wielding criminals.
THISDAY learnt that among those kidnapped was the wife of the village head and sons of the councillor representing Zagzaga ward.
It was also learnt that two local vigilante and some youths who tried to repel the attack were also among those injured.
According to an eyewitness, the gunmen stormed the community at about 1 a.m. last Wednesday and started shooting indiscriminately thereby creating panic among the villagers and in the confusion,
63 villagers, including the wife of the village head, were abducted.
The eyewitness said the gunmen also looted items, breaking the houses of the villagers and making away with valuable items found in these houses.
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 vigilante were unable to contain the assault by the gunmen because of their numerical strength and type of weapons used.
The eyewitness said an SOS was sent to the security base at Sarkin-pawa, but there was no response from the security posts.
The local government authorities, THISDAY gathered, went into an emergency security meeting in Sarkin- Pawa yesterday morning to plan the way out to the incessant attacks in the area by bandits.
Secretary of the local government area, Mr. James Jagaba, when contacted on the 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 vigilante members in the area are not well equipped to face the gunmen.
Asked if a report has 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 thing, and reports are usually made.”
Last Monday, scores of bandits invaded Kachiwe, old Kabula and other communities in the same area where some houses and a motorcycle were reportedly burnt by the gunmen.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Matane, when contacted, confirmed the incident but said he was yet to get the details of the attack.
