Wednesday, June 5, 2024 -Bandits have kidnapped at least 56 people, including women and children in Kankuru, Adogon-Mallam, and Tungan-Kawo villages in Munya and Shiroro local government areas of Niger State.
According to the sources, 30 people were kidnapped in Kankuru
village on Sunday night, while 26 others were abducted in Adogon-Mallam and
Tungan-Kawo communities in Shiroro Local Government Area.
Kankuru
village is just a kilometre away from Kuchi, where 150 people, including
pregnant women, nursing mothers and children were recently kidnapped.
The
chairman of Munya Local Government, Aminu Najume, who confirmed the latest
incident, said 220 farmers from the local government area are currently in
bandits’ captivity.
"Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has been trying for us.
I am begging the federal government to come to our aid so that we can win this
war. Currently, 220 of my people are in captivity and their abductors have been
demanding several ransoms,” he said.
Residents of Munya Local Government said the bandits were
demanding N63 million, three motorcycles and 10 bags of 100kg rice for the
release of the captives.
A local government official who spoke on condition of
anonymity told our correspondent that attacks and abductions had become daily
occurrences in the local government area. The victims are held captive by
different gangs of terrorists.
“One of the gangs holding 20 people is demanding N10
million, three motorcycles and 10 bags of rice. Another group is demanding N53
million. Other gangs have not contacted us yet
"Currently, we know that some of our people are in
Zamfara State while others are held within Niger State. Those kidnapped from
Kapana village recently are still in captivity. Only a few have been able to
pay ransom and regain freedom.
“As I speak with you, we don’t have the exact number of
our people in bandits’ captivity because kidnappings happen almost every day.
Anybody who gives you any figure may not be telling the truth.
“Scores of our people are in captivity. We don’t know
their exact number. So far, three groups have called. We are collating the
numbers as groups of bandits continue to call for negotiation,” the official
said.
The director-general of the Niger State Emergency
Management Agency, Alhaji Abdullah Baba Arah, confirmed the abduction of 26
farmers in Tungan-Kawo and Adogon-Mallam villages on Sunday and Monday.
Arah also mentioned that hundreds of cattle were rustled
by the assailants.
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