Gunmen ambush Niger communities, kills 21, kidnap 40

Twenty-one dead and forty kidnapped in fresh bandits attack on Shiroro communities in Niger State.

The attacks happened early Tuesday morning when about three hundred gunmen on motorcycles stormed Kurege, Sabon Gida, Sararai and Rafin Kanya shooting sporadically.

An eyewitness who is also an indigene of Shiroro Local Government, Galadima Salisu while confirming the incident told newsmen in a telephone interview that unless governments at all levels come to their aid, he is afraid that the area could be taken over by bandits who operate at will.

All efforts to contact the Police Public Relations Officer, Niger State Command, ASP Wasiu Abiodun, for comment on the attack failed.

When contacted on phone, Secretary to the Niger State Government, Ahmed Ibrahim Matane confirmed the incident. He, however, denied knowledge of the actual number of people killed.

Matane maintained that Niger State government is doing everything possible within its powers to address the problem of insecurity bedevilling its people.

Armed bandits in Niger State have increased their level of attacks on the state since the news of the appointment of new service chiefs by President Muhammadu Buhari.