There is no moment of respite as Gunmen defied the ongoing Ramadan Fast and intensified their attacks on communities in Niger state with the latest being a midnight raid on no fewer than five communities in Munya Local Government Area of the state, leaving a village head and two others dead.
The attacks, according to a source close to one of the communities, occurred on Thursday at about 11:30pm when the gunmen, numbering over 50 with sophisticated weapons invaded the communities.
The affected communities are Dandaudu, Fukan Gwari Dazza, Zagzaga and parts of Maraban Zagzaga all in Munya local government.
According to our source, unspecified number of cattle which was the main target of the gunmen were stolen as they operated without any resistance.
A village head who was said to be outside receiving ventilation due to the unbearable heatwave was shot at a close range, and died instantly while two others, among them a Fulani man who tried to resist them from taking away his animals was also killed.
“They came purposely to steal cows from the communities, this is the third time in less than one month that these gunmen will come here. About three weeks ago they came but the soldiers engaged them so they couldn’t succeed.
“This time around, they decided to come in the night. They killed the village head who was outside resting after breaking the Ramadan Fast, and one Fulani man who trying to prevent them from taking his cattle was also killed.
“In fact they went away with a number of people, we don’t know the actual number of people Kidnapped now because many others, including women and children escaped to the bush last night, others ran to a nearby villages”, our source said.
In another development, gunmen have killed three people, leaving many injured and several others abducted in Rumache Madalla in Bassa/Kukoki Ward, Shiroro local government area of the State.
The gunmen, according to a statement by the Chairman Shiroro concern youths, Comrade Abubakar Kukoki invaded the community in a broad daylight, and in their large numbers and heavily armed with sophisticated and dangerous weapons stormed the aforementioned Village and unleashed mayhem on unsuspecting victims
The Statement added that “During the deadly encounter, about three people were gruesomely killed through multiple gunshots while scores of others were abducted and taken to unknown destination”.
Kukoki disclosed that those who sustained multiple gunshots injuries are currently on admission at various medical facilities within relatively secured areas of the local government responding to treatment.
He expressed regret that “Kidnap for ransom has become a common phenomenon in our localities. It is quite unfortunate that we have been forced to coexist with this sad reality. We are being killed, maimed, raped among other inhuman subjugations by marauding terrorists”, he added.
Source: The Sun
