Three Soldiers and a vigilante group member have been killed by armed men suspected to be bandits and a construction worker has been abducted in Yakila and Katako communities in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State in the early hour of Tuesday, CAPITAL POST has learnt.
The bandits were said to have invaded the community on motorbikes numbering 30 with each of the bike carrying three persons.
The bandits who were heavily armed with sophisticated guns stormed three other neighbouring villages within Tegina, abducted the construction worker said to be a whiteman and took him captive.
CAPITAL POST was told that the daredevil gun men on arriving the villages shot sporadically while villagers took to their heels and abandoned their community.
The soldiers, and the vigilante group, it was gathered, were ambushed and killed at close range.
Equally, it was further gathered that no fewer than twelve others suffered various degree of injuries from gunshots and were rushed to some health facilities within Wushishi and Minna, the state capital for treatment.
It’s recalled that some part of the Niger East and North Senatorial districts have come under heavy attacks by the activities of armed bandits in the last two years without intervention from the security agencies.
Armed bandits have laid siege in Allawa, Galadima Kongo, Gurmana and Kusheriki in Rafi and Shiroro Local Government Areas of Niger State.
Similarly, some part of Mariga and Magama Local Goverment Areas came under heavy attacks by armed bandits in the last two weeks where 14 persons were killed by heavily armed bandits that stormed the village in the wee hour of last week Wednesday.
The activities of the armed bandits in Niger State has posed a serious threat to the most affected communities who are mostly farmers.
As a result of the incessant attack on these farming communities, farmers have abandoned their farms and are now in Internally Displaced Camp.
This ugly trend of the banditry activities in the affected farming community has created scarcity of farm products, even as food shortages looms in Niger State.
According to Alhaji Shehu Galadima the Niger State chairman of All farmers Association who spoke with our correspondent, lamented that activities of armed bandits have made farmers to abandon their farms.
He pointed out that the unprecedented activities of armed bandits in the farming community in Niger State would create untold food security in the state, if necessary security measures was not taken.
“With this continuous activities of these banditry attacks on farming communities of Niger State, food insecurity is imminent in the state.
“Armed bandits have dislodged farmers from their farms. They no longer go to farm. They have displaced farmers from going to their farms.
“What this imply is that food insecurity is looming in the state if adequate security measure is not taken to arrest the ugly security challenge facing these farmers in Niger State,” he warned.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) Niger State Police Command, Abiodun Wasiu ASP could not be reached for his comment as several calls to his phone were not responded.
However, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security Affairs in the state, Col. Kabiru Makundi (rtd) while confirming the report informed that three Soldiers and a viginlate group were killed and those injured have been taken to health facilities in Wushishi and Minna General.
