32 kidnapped, 2000 cattle rustled in Niger community

About 32 people have been reportedly kidnapped while 2000 cattle were rustled in Kusuku community in Shiroro Local government area of Niger state.

The Chairman of the Local Government, Comrade Sulaiman Dauda Chukwuba, raised the alarm at the weekend during an interactive session with journalists in Minna.

He disclosed that the incident occurred at about 3:00pm on Saturday, when the victims were going to a village market in four commuter Landrover vehicles that were usually used to convey people especially commuters and traders alike in the difficult terrains of the council areas and its environs.

The Council Boss, further disclosed that the fleeing bandits-cum unidentified gunmen, were said to have prior to the incident, chased away from Munya Local Government Area of the state.

He added, that scores of the armed bandits were heavily armed with dangerous weapons sighted at a community called Kusasu in Shiroro LGA, from about 6am on Saturday, up till about 6pm at a river bank, trying to cross the river that leads to Shiroro Hydro Power Dam and River Kaduna, with the rustled cattle also in large numbers.

Chukuba said, “It is the boundary between Kaduna State and Munya and Shiroro Local Government Areas of Niger State. We are calling on the government and the security agencies to come to our aide because of the dangers posed to us by the forests in Alawa, in the local government as well as the forests in Sarkin Pawa, to Kusaba forest and Dogo Gona, all in Munya LGA, of Niger state.”

He explained further that,”the fleeing armed bandits also had a very fierce gun duel with a detachment of Mobile Policemen, deployed to Malfa, but upon the realization that the police had a superior fire power, the bandits called for reinforcement from somewhere.

Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Office, Niger State Police Command, DSP Muhammad Abubakar, when contacted confirmed the incident.

He said, “There was an exchange of gun fire between the police and the armed bandits at Malfa village in Shiroro Local government of Niger state on Saturday when the bandits were coming from Kaduna state and the police Operatives were able to repel them back”.

He however did not confirm the kidnapped of some 32 persons nor the rustlings of some 2000.