Over 70 Feared Killed As Bandits Continue Onslaught In Niger Communities

Over 70 Feared Killed As Bandits Continue Onslaught In Niger Communities

Minna – Armed bandits has continued their attacks unabated on villagers in Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger state, Thursday as the death toll has increased to 70, eight more villages affected while the number of displaced persons have also risen to over 1, 000.

The figure from the attacks which started in the wee hours Sunday 9th June, 2019 has risen from the initial 12 people that lost their lives as the bandits were said to have spread their indiscriminate killing spree to more villages.

Our correspondent gathered that apart from the several injured people are rushed to nearby rural health facilities in; Kuta, Erena and Zumba, many of the displaced villagers are taken refuge in seven Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camps around the area.

Information made available to journalists by the Senator representing Niger-East, Senator David Umaru in whose constituency has been a victim of the massacre indicated that no fewer than 19 persons died in the past six days in Kwaki village, 14 in Barden Dawaki village.

Our correspondent also learnt that, 8 persons died in Ajatawyi village, 7 in Gwassa, 5 in Ajayin Bataro, 4 others in Bwailo, 3 in Baton village and 2 reported dead in Giji village while over 800 herds of cattle belonging to the villagers have been rustled within the same space of time.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Niger state command, DSP Mohammed Abubakar Dan-Inna said the police could only confirm 12 people so far dead in the attack, adding however that more security personnel have been deployed to the troubled area.

Meanwhile, Senator David Umaru has appealed to President Mohammed Buhari to come to the rescue of his people in Shiroro, Niger East Senatorial district from the rampaging bandits by ordering deployment of more security personnel to the area.

Asking for the relocation of security Chiefs to the area to immediately curtail the carnage wouldn’t be too much for asking, he said. “I am in pains and sorrow over the killing of my people by armed bandits who have taken over our communities in the past few days”.

“It is horrible that over 69 people have been killed and 1000 displaced and yet there is no respite for the good people of my constituency”, adding that it has become apparent that the situation is beyond the capacity of the police”.

According to him, “I am appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to order the military into the area to stop the bandits from further annihilation of my people by the armed bandits who have continued their onslaught unhindered and unabated”.

“I am also calling on the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Div Nigeria Army, Kaduna to deploy more personnel to save the armless villagers from the onslaught of the armed bandits”, Umaru said as he stressed the need for the state government to provide adequate logistics to enable the security agencies crush the bandits.