One Killed, 10 Abducted in Daylight Attack on Niger Community

One person was killed and 10 others kidnapped yesterday in a broad daylight invasion of Gurmana Community in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

An eyewitness told THISDAY on phone that a top member of the local vigilante whose name was given as Idi Fylo narrowly escaped being killed as he was said to have just stepped out of his residence when the bandits struck. His house and yam barn were however set ablaze.

It was also learnt that one Maiangwa Sarkin Zamma was shot in the right arm and was already receiving treatment in a local clinic in the area.

According to eyewitnesses, the bandits in their numbers stormed the community shooting sporadically and leaving the people to scamper for safety.

It was gathered that the bandits rustled several cattle and dispossessed the villagers of their property apart from setting ablaze their harvested food stores.

THISDAY was told that raids of communities in the area had become a daily occurrence since the withdrawal of soldiers and policemen from their camps in Allawa and Bassa over a week ago after six soldiers and one policeman were murdered, their camps and operational vehicles set ablaze.

The Co-Convener of the Shiroro Youth Associations, Yussuf Abubakar Koki and the Spokesperson of the Coalition of Shiroro Associations, Comrade Salis Sabo in separate comments confirmed the incident.

The embattled Chairman of Shiroro Local Government Area, Alhaji Sulaiman Chikuba when contacted on phone said he had heard the “sad news but I don’t have the details.”

Police Public Relations Officer Niger State Police Command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun when contacted promised to get back to THISDAY but did not do so until the time of going to press.