Three killed, several injured as bandits attack Niger communities, cart away foodstuff

Armed bandits said to be numbering about 200 on Sunday morning invaded some communities in Munya and Paikoro Local Government Areas of Niger State, killing two vigilantes, a middle-aged man and injuring about 15 others in an operation which the villagers said was targeted only at foodstuff.

About 15 women were abducted and made to help the bandits carry the looted foodstuff packed in sacks from the communities.

They, however, promised to release the women after helping them to evacuate the foodstuff to a particular location.

The communities invaded by the bandits include Beni, old and new Dalolo, Aboloso, Ishau and Amale, all in Paikoro Local Government, while Gwari Nyayi, Kabiri and Biri in Munya Local Government were also raided by the bandits.

According to the District Head of Beni, Alhaji Jafaru Umar Sarki who confirmed the invasion by the bandits, the operation started on Saturday evening when the armed men numbering about 200 and in over 50 motorcycles stormed the communities in three different groups.

The Saturday operation only lasted for one hour and the bandits went away with sacks load of foodstuff and other items looted from shops in the town.

He said on Sunday morning, the bandits returned and shared themselves into three groups, moving from one community to another targeting only foodstuff and provisions from shops in an operation that started around 9.00am and lasted for over three hours.

According to him, for the three hours which the Sunday operation lasted, a helicopter owned by one of the security agencies was busy hovering around the communities while the bandits were operating on the ground.

“We saw a helicopter moving around the communities for about six times when the bandits were operating but the helicopter did not attack the bandits.

“We did not know what the helicopter was doing in the air because bandits were operating freely on the ground. Punch