Eight killed in fresh Niger attack
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From Mathew Jwantu
Minna: Eight persons are feared killed in a fresh attack on Saturday by armed bandits, in Niger State’s Kaure community, of Kwaki Ward, in Shiroro Local Government Area.
Several others, mainly women and children were critically injured and displaced in the early morning attack, officials say.
A Local Government lawmaker, Mr. Jafaru Kwaki told MK news that the assailants dressed in black, stormed the village on motorbikes, shooting sporadically.
“Eight persons have lost their lives in the attack. We cannot ascertain the number of people injured in the attack yet, because many escaped into the bushes with bullet wounds, but we were able to move 15 who sustained various degrees of injuries to health centres,” Kwaki said.
The attackers also rustled livestock, looted food crops and torched houses, it was learnt.
This is the third incident in two weeks, in Shiroro Local Government Area.
An earlier attack in the first week of December, on eight communities in Rafi and Shiroro Local Government Areas reportedly left at least thirteen persons killed.
Within the same period, the District Head of Madaka community, Alhaji Zakari Yau, his wife, the village head of Kukoki and four others were kidnapped.
Similarly, some expatriates working in the communities were also abducted by bandits.
Police authorities have yet to issue a public statement on the attacks.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Dan-Innah declined comments when contacted.
The Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa has however requested the deployment of government troops to the affected areas.
Musa in a signed statement said his people “cannot be left to die in the hands of bandits.”
As at the time of filing this report, the State Emergency Management Agency said it had rescue workers to the affected villages.
The Director General of the Agency, Alhaji Ahmed Inga, however did not give details of casualty.
