Bandits kill 5 military officers, several others, abduct 10 in Niger
Armed Bandits have allegedly killed seven persons including five Military Officers in latest attacks on communities in Shiroro Local Government of Niger state.
They were also said to have abducted over ten persons, stole seven motorcycles and burnt down Military vehicles among others in attacks they unleashed yesterday and early morning of today, 2am that led the villagers confused and scampering for safety .
The communities include Allawa, Manta, Gurmana, Bassa and Kokki in Shiroro council.
According to reports, the bandits stormed the camp of the Joint Security Task Force comprised of the Army, Police, Civil Defence and Vigilantes at Allawa and opened fire on them unaware killing five Soldiers and one Civil Defence Officer, while many sustained various degree of injuries.
Eyewitness account said the bandits on Wednesday attacked Manta, Gurmana and Bassa villages , where they killed one Alhaji Sale in Madalla community under Bassa ward and kidnapped four people and went away with two motorcycles.
Confirming the incident, Mohammed Sani Idris, President Shiroro Youth Movement/Chairman MHWUN-SHLGA in Bassa, Gurmana and Manta said the bandits armed with AK-47 numbering about 100 attacked each community for about five hours unchallenged.
He appealed to both the federal and state government to double up their effort in rescuing the lives of people at the various communities.
When contacted, Co-convener, Concerned Shiroro Youths, Sani Abubakar Yusuf Kokki told this medium that five Soldiers and one Civil Defence Officer were killed in Allawa by Bandits, who attacked their camp early morning.
He explained that Allawa before the attack was one the few towns standing in Lakpma axis of Shiroro local government that have not been invaded in the recent past.
Lamenting the rate of attacks by Bandits in the area, Kokki said, “We, the affected victims view this phenomenon from the angle of ethnic cleansing as we have been abandoned to our fate.
“As a result of sheer negligence from the authorities constitutionally saddled with the responsibility of providing adequate security to the citizenry, there is deliberate efforts by criminals through crude means to depopulate us which from all indications, they are coasting to their target.”
However, efforts to get the reaction of the state Police failed as calls put through the Public Relations Officer, DSP. Wasiu Abiodun were not picked as at the time of filing this report.
