By Our Correspondent in Minna
No fewer than 20, including a police man and vigilantes have lost their lives and property worth millions of naira destroyed by armed bandits who invaded communities in Kagara, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger state.
An eyewitness account told The Reporters, an online publication, gathered that the bandits invaded the town in busses and motorcycles armed with sophisticated weapons.
They were said to have first attacked one of the new generation Banks in the community and carted away unspecified amount of money.
The witness added that the bandits gained entrance to the bank using explosives.
The suspects, said to be about 100, our correspondent, further gathered, took over the entire area and sustained their onslaught from 4p.m Wednesday to Thursday.
The online publication also gathered that while some of criminals were busy looting shops and carting away valuables, another group stormed a Bank in the town.
They were said to have forced their way to the Bank while the staff were about closing for the day.
According to witness,a policeman and a security personnel attached to the Bank were killed before the bandits, surged the bank and also carted away unspecified sum of money.
The vigilantes in the town were subsequently mobilized and engaged the bandits in a fierce battle, using dane guns which the witness said hardly match the sophisticated weapon of the invaders.
In a related development, 17 vigilante members from Dukku in Rijau Local Government Area of the state have also lost their lives when they were ambushed by bandits numbering over 50.
The vigilantes were said to have met their gruesome death during their routine patrol of the area.
Though details of the attack are still sketchy as at the time of this report, our correspondent gathered that two of the bandits also lost their lives during the encounter.
Meanwhile, Niger state government has appealed to residents of Kagara to remain calm, adding that “is doing all that is humanly possible to ensure the protection of their lives and property.”
In a message of condolence to victims of the attack, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mary Noel-Berje, prayed God to grant the souls of those who lost their lives eternal rest.
