Bandits estimated at 50 have attacked Kuchi community in the Munya Local Government Area of Niger State; kidnapping 17 persons in an operation that residents said lasted for over two hours.
It was gathered that those kidnapped during the Saturday attack included the parents of Yahuza Mohammed, a former chairman of the council; a medical doctor and two nursing mothers with their two-week-old babies.
A businessman, popularly known as Albakala, who had relocated from the community to Minna, the state capital, had four of his family members kidnapped.
A source told our correspondent on the telephone that the bandits overpowered the local vigilantes due to their large number.
The source said there were no security agents in the Kuchi community, adding that attacks by bandits had been occurring on a weekly basis.
Our correspondent was told that due to the attacks, the Chairman of the council, Garba Daza, had relocated with his family to Minna.
All efforts by our correspondent to reach him to confirm the latest attacks proved abortive as calls made to his mobile phone rang out.
However, the member representing the constituency in the state House of Assembly, Mr Andrew Jagaba, confirmed the incident.
He said, “The community was thrown into confusion when the incident happened yesterday night (Saturday). The people are living in fears.
“However, as I speak to you now, security agents have been mobilised to the community and are working on how to rescue the victims.”
This latest incident is coming barely 24 hours after gunmen killed the village head of Madaka in the Rafi LGA, Zakari Ya’u, six days after he was abducted.
He was killed after the community failed to raise N800,000 ransom demanded by bandits for his release.
Persons abducted along with the village head who regained their freedom, said the village head died from beatings by the bandits and was buried in a shallow grave.
