Bandits kill 60 Vigilantes, Abduct Scores In Niger communities
No fewer than 65 persons were killed as bandits invaded Tungan Magajiya community, Rijau local government area, Niger State.
Another community bandits attacked was Paikpa community in Munya local government area, the same state.
The attack which saw the death of over sixty vigilantes and other five persons were carried out separately on Sunday and Monday night.
Also Read: See How 6 EFCC Staff Get Multi Million Naira Properties In Abuja
Africa Investigative Magazine learned that the bandits ambushed the vigilantes between Niger and Kebbi state on Sunday, March 06, 2022 at night, killing over sixty of them.
It was further gathered that the Sakaba vigilantes in Kebbi state and Tungan Magajia vigilantes in Niger state were on a Joint patrol, an effort aimed at containing the excessive killings in the area.
The sad incident unfolded as the vigilantes who were trailing the bandits, unknowingly ran into the bandits that were over 100 in number.
You May Like: Incredible: See Why High Court Sacks Ebonyi State Governor And His Deputy
It was not clear if the Bandits had got intelligence that the vigilantes were after them as they (bandits) divided themselves into two groups.
While one group laid ambush, the other group approached the vigilantes who could not withstand the attack from both sides.
Some of the vigilantes that bullet could not penetrate were killed with cutlasses and other weapons.
Twelve of the victims were from Rijau while the remaining 48 are from Sakaba and Tungan Magajiya.
Read Also: IWD 2022: Nigerian Women Are Not Where They Should Be, Says President Buhari
In another development, bandits also killed five persons and injured scores during a midnight raid in Paikpa village, Munya local government area.
The bandits entered the community through Luwi community after they succeeded to make the villagers helter shelter.
According to the Sun news, a source said, “The gunmen operated for several hours searching all the houses in the village without any response to distress calls to the security men stationed at Sarkinpawa”, adding that after hours of raid the bandits escaped into the Chikun forest in Kaduna state.
The Secretary to the State Government Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane confirmed the story but said he was yet to get the number of casualty.
Matane said the gunmen entered Paikpa late on Monday during which the abducted some people and rustled a lot of cattle.
“Men of the Civilian JTF and local vigilante engaged the bandits in battle which lasted hours making the gunmen to escape into the bush”.
Also in Chukuba community in Shiroro local government, four women were raped simultaneously by gunmen on Sunday morning when the women had left IDP camp in Zumba to go and get some food stuff from the farm.
The women were said to have ran into the gunmen on their way back from the farm and were stopped and dragged to the bush where they were raped by those interested among the gunmen.
After the rape, they had all their food stuff confiscated by the gunmen before they were allowed to go in tears.