Thursday, November 7, 2024 - Residents said six of the victims were beheaded and bandits went away with their heads.
According
to them, many people also sustained bullet wounds and were being treated at a
clinic in Kagara, the Headquarters of Rafi LGA.
Daily
Trust also gathered that many people were also kidnapped during the attack that
happened around 5am on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, when the victims were
observing their early morning prayers.
Bala
Tukur, a resident in the area told the publication that the residents of Wayam,
Belu-Belu, Madaka and adjoining communities had all fled to Kagara town, the
Headquarters of Rafi LGA, since Tuesday morning.
“At Wayam
village near Madaka under Kagara town, they mercilessly k!lled 10 people and
injured many. The way they killed us now is very traumatic, I swear. Everybody
has fled," he said.
“Many
people have not been able to harvest 50 percent of their crops including maize
that were ready for harvest and getting those crops harvested now would be
hard.
"Recently,
residents of Kukoki were asked to pay N1.5 million to be allowed to harvest
their crops. They paid but bandits came back to attack them four days ago,” he
said.
Locals
said bandits had resumed aggressive attacks in the last one week as farmers
from Wushishi, Rafi, Shiroro, Mariga and Kontagora LGAs of the state began to
harvest their farm produce.
On Friday,
it was gathered that bandits invaded the ancient town of Zungeru, Wushishi LGA,
moving from house to house including a hotel, and kidnapping the
occupants.
One of the
residents said the invasion of Zungeru happened around 12am on Saturday during
which a staff member of Sino-Hydro, Saidu Yakubu aka Abacha, and his wife, were
kidnapped.
“Around
12am on Saturday, bandits invaded Zungeru town. They started operating at a
house in Unguwan-Madaki near Gidan-Kwai, the owner of the house was a former
staff member of Sino-Hydro Company. So, they entered the house and tried to
force the owner’s apartment open but they couldn’t because of the nature of the
doors,” he said.
"So,
they moved to his mother’s apartment in the same house and they were able to
forced the door to her apartment open. So, they took the mum and the younger
brother to the owner’s of the house
“In the
process, the mother started pleading with them that the boy they had taken
along with her was sick they were just waiting for the day to break to take him
to hospital. Luckily, on their way, they released them
“After
releasing them, they passed through graveyard and moved to another house
belonging to one Saidu Yakubu popularly known as Abacha, a staff member
of Sino-Hydro and kidnapped him and his wife. Then, they moved to Diamond Guest
House on Wushishi-Zungeru road but they didn’t take anybody.
“Since
Tuesday last week, bandits have gone berserk along Zungeru-Tegina-Kontagora
road. Our security Operatives have been battling with them. They k!lled 8 of
our vigilantes. But I learnt that security operatives were able to block them
somewhere around Pandogari and since that is the only route through which they
can escape, they are currently hiding in that rocky area with the cattle they
rustled.”
He said a
day before Zungeru was invaded, a commercial driver was shot d!ad around Kundu
village on Zungeru-Tegina road while one of the passengers sustained injuries
and several others were kidnapped
Similarly,
Daily Trust gathered that 2 Indian nationals were kidnapped on a rice farm in
Swashi, Borgu LGA on November 2, 2024
A resident
who preferred anonymity said one of the vigilantes guarding the farm was k!lled
during the attack.
The
Commissioner for Homeland Security, Brigadier General Bello Abdullahi Mohammed
said the state government was aware of the attacks.
“The Niger State Government is very much aware. All the security stakeholders have been mobilised to address the issue and prevent future reoccurrence,” he stated.
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