26 killed, abduct 40 abducted in Niger, Sokoto communities

Not less than twenty-one persons have been killed and forty persons kidnapped in a fresh bandit attack on Shiroro communities in Niger State.

The attack occurred on Tuesday when about 300 gunmen on motorcycles stormed four villages of Kurege, Sabon gida, Sararai and Rafin Kanya, killing some people and abducted many others.

An eyewitness, who is also an indigene of the Shiroro Local Government Area, Galadima Salisu, said on the telephone that unless governments at all levels come to their aid, the area could be taken over by bandits.

All efforts to contact the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Wasiu Abiodun, failed.

But the Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Matane, confirmed the incident but said he did not have the number of people killed.

Matane said, “The state government is doing everything possible to address the problem of insecurity in the state.”

Meanwhile, the Sokoto State Police Command has confirmed the killing of five persons by gunmen in Adamawa village of the Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Abubakar Sadiq, said, “Over 100 suspected bandits on motorcycles invaded Adamawa village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area, raided houses in the village and in the process five persons lost their lives.

“The bandits burnt down six shops and 11 houses while five other persons sustained gunshot injuries all in Adamawa village.

“The bandits also visited Samaye village and rustled a large number of livestock and stole other valuables belonging to the villagers.” Sadiq added that the attack took place on Sunday January 31 and lasted about two hours into Monday morning.