By Correspondent in Minna
The District Head of Yakila community in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger state, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulhamid, has been kidnapped by suspected bandits.
The Reporters, an online media platform gathered that the kidnappers also invaded a neighbouring community, Garin-Gabbas and kidnapped a staff Nurse whose name was given as, Halima and two of her children during the encounter which took place at about 2a.m on Thursday.
Our learns that bandits, numbering about twenty, riding on motorcycles and armed with sophisticated weapons, including AK47 riffles,had earlier raided both Yakila and Garin-Gabbas, the two adjoining villages in the district in the early hours of Wednesday, unchallenged.
Eye witness account said that “The bandits shot sporadically into the air to instill fear and scare away possible interference from members of the communities before disappearing into the darkness with their victims.
“Though no life was lost, the bandits operated without restrictions in the two communities, some of them entered the district head’s room, forced him out and took him along with them.”
The Reporters further gathered while the bandits fired gunshots, many of the villagers rattled by the sporadic gun shots scampered for safety while some ran into nearby bushes for their safety while the bandits had field day.
Both the local vigilante and conventional police men in the areas were said to have been caught unawares by the attackers as such, they could not repel the armed men said to have spent quality time ransacking the homes of their victims and taking along with them food and materials.
The Director-General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko Inga, when contacted on phone, confirmed receiving report about the attacks early Thursday morning, saying, “We will get the details and get back to you”
Our correspondent reports that the local government area has come under series of attacks by bandits in the last couple of days.
Last Monday, the palace of the village head of Pangu in the Gunna district of the same local government area was set ablaze by suspected bandits.
Also burnt during raid last week Monday are; the only existing rural hospital in the area, built and donated to the community by the World Bank while several houses and freshly harvested agricultural produce were destroyed as well and many of the villagers rendered homeless.
Our correspondent also gathered that the bandits, who carried out the earlier attack also rode on about 13 motorcycles and armed with sophisticated weapons.
The Police Command in the state has not issued any statement on the two incidents while efforts to get the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Wasiu Abiodun, confirm the incidents proved abortive.
The PPRO declined several calls and also did not respond to text messages sent to him as at the time of this report.
