In coordinated attacks by rampaging armed bandits in over ten communities in Niger State’s Lavun Local Government Area, eight people are said to have been killed and several others injured.
Egbako, Ndaruka, Ebbo, Ndagbegi, Tshogi, Gogata, and Ndakogitu are among the villages affected.
The council also includes the Satisu, Yekoko, Satifu, and Sokiara settlements.
The robbers, estimated to number in the hundreds, invaded the communities about 4 p.m. on Saturday and are continuing active today, Sunday.
According to 360 MEDIA, they ravaged each town, wreaking misery on the locals and rustling an unknown number of livestock.
According to a source from one of the afflicted villages, the bandits killed one person in each of the communities of Ebbo, Tsonfadagabi, Tsogi, and Kanko.
The source further said that bandits invaded a wedding ceremony in the Gbacitagi hamlet and abducted the bride and another girl.
According to him, the gunmen wrecked well-wishers’ vehicles and other property, as well as took away the proceeds from the wedding celebration and rustled a number of villagers’ animals.
However, it was learned that they became stranded while traveling from Gbacitigi community to Akere community in Wushishi Local Government Area with the rustled animals because the single bridge between the village and Akere had fallen.
The gunmen’s move to force the animals into the river failed, prompting them to abandon them and turn back and attack Satisu, Yekoko, Satifu and Sokiara.
A source in Yekoko told 360 MEDIA that the rampaging bandits were heading to Batati community.
According to him,” Presently, the residents of Batati have fled their homes for fear of being attacked. We are calling on the government to come to our aid, we don’t have what to face them (bandits) with. Nobody is in that village now.”
Confirming the incident, the Executive Chairman, Lavun Local Government Council, Hon Alh Ibrahim Limanko Pata described the act as insane and unacceptable, adding that the gunmen stormed the area at about 4 pm on Saturday.
The council chairman in a press statement signed by his media aide, Abu Shema Kutigi, stated that decisive actions would be taken by the government to guarantee the lives of the inhabitants of the vulnerable communities.
When contacted, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Internal Security, Emmanuel Bagna Umar, confirmed the incident but stated that he is yet to receive full details.
Efforts to get the reaction of the state police command through the Public Relations Officer, PRO, DSP Wasiu Abiodun failed at the time of filing this report.
FOR UPDATE ALERTS
JOIN 360MEDIA WHATSAPP GROUP
JOIN 360MEDIA TELEGRAM CHANNEL
JOIN 360MEDIA FACEBOOK GROUP
FOLLOW 360MEDIA ON TWITTER
Be the first to comment