23 killed as bandits storm Niger villages

 

There was a rain of blood in Niger Wednesday as armed bandits swooped on two communities, killing no fewer than 23 people in two separate attacks, leaving several others injured.

Sources on the ground say at least 12 people were also kidnapped in the onslaught while eight were seriously injured.

In Dukku town in Rijau local government area of the state, no fewer than 17 members of the local vigilantes were ambushed and killed by the bandits, DailySun writes.

The vigilantes were said to be on the trail of the bandits who had occupied Iri forest in Dukku.

The local vigilante who were ill equipped however killed three of the bandits. The incident occurred at 6:00pm in the evening, about the same time that another group of armed bandits lunched a full scale war on people of Kagara, in Rafi local government area of the state.

According to a source close to Dukku Community, the plan to attack the bandits was leaked by an informants which resulted in the bandits ambushing the men of the vigilante in the forest and in the process killed 17 of them while the vigilante managed killed three bandits.

Chairman of Rijau local government council, Alhaji Bawa Bello, confirmed the story.

Bello said: “Yes, it happened, we killed some of the bandits and the bandits killed some of our men. I have submitted a written report to the Commissioner for Local Government who is our boss he should give you the details.”

In a related development, six people were killed in another brutal onslaught on Kagara town in Rafi local government.

At least 12 others were abducted and a commercial bank robbed.

A statement from the governor’s office said: “the Governor commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives in the attack, and prayed for speedy recovery for the injured victims”.