Bandits attack Niger community, kill 8

Suspected bandits have in the early hours of Saturday attacked Kaure, Kwaki Ward in Shiroro local government area of Niger State, identified as Senator David Umaru’s community, and killed eight persons.

The Councillor representing the ward, Malam Jafaru Kwaki told our correspondent on phone on Sunday that the suspected bandits stormed the community at about 7am on motorcycles shooting sporadically in the air with firearms.

“I just received the sad development of an invasion again of a community in my area by armed men dressed in black.

“They, as has been their characteristics, stormed the community on motorcycles shooting. From the information at my disposal, eight people have lost their lives in the attack which lasted hours.

“We cannot yet ascertain the number of people injured because many escaped into the bushes with bullet wounds but we were able to move 15 who sustained various degrees of injuries to health centres,” he explained.

The Counclllor said the attackers rustled cows, dispossessed local inhabitants of cash and food stuff at gunpoint, adding that two vehicles, five motorcycles, and some houses were also burnt.

Our correspondent reports that the attack is coming as those displaced in recent attacks across eight communities in Rafi and Shiroro local government areas are still camped in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Kuta, Kagara and Gudu.

The attacks which happened three weeks ago claimed 13 lives in Kukoki of Shiroro local government area alone, while the district head of Madaka, Alhaji Zakari Yau, his wife, the village head of Kukoki and four others, including the Secretary of the district council and a retired soldier were kidnapped.