By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
At least seven persons have been reportedly killed and 200 abducted In Niger State night raid by bandits.
Those killed includes four Joint Security Taskforce members, while those abducted are villagers in Kuchi village, Munya Local Government Area of bandits ridden Niger State.
The attack, which occurred around 7 pm on Friday, also resulted in the tragic deaths of three civilians, who attempted fleeing into the bushes.
Eyewitness report said that the armed bandits, who were over 200, stormed the areas with approximately 100 motorcycles, each carrying three riders, launched their assault under the cover of darkness under a heavy downpour.
The gunmen reportedly overpowered the security forces and carried out their heinous operations for over three hours without any external reinforcements.
The assailants methodically moved from house to house, selecting their victims, most of whom were women, and looting local shops of their goods.
This heinous incident marks a continuation of a troubling pattern in the region; just two weeks prior, after 30 people were kidnapped from two commercial vehicles near Mangoro village.
Mal Aminu Najume, Chairman of Munya Local Government, confirmed the attack, noting the overwhelming force of the bandits who engaged in a fierce gunfight with local security agents, was in- surmounted.
“These gunmen, numbering over 300, moved from house to house and dispossessed our people of their belongings. They abducted about 150 villagers, including women, and took them away in the rain,” Najume stated.
He criticized the inadequate response to the crises, highlighting a systemic failure to address banditry with the severity required.
“For over three hours, they operated with no reinforcement from anywhere,” he told reporters with lamentation.
“They outnumbered the Joint Security Taskforce and succeeded in killing four of them, including some villagers,” he added.
Najume pointed out the need for better coordination and action between state governments to combat the increasing threat of banditry, particularly criticizing Kaduna State for not taking as stringent measures as Niger State in combating these criminals.
The community remains in shock and mourning as the search for the abducted villagers continues.
“There has been a call for immediate and decisive action to secure their release and prevent further incidents of this nature”, as many again stressed the need for community policing.
