By Correspondent in Minna
As banditry unabated in Niger state, gunmen suspected to be bandits have continued their heinous crime against humanity by abducting 19 persons, including two would be brides from their homes in Kutunku village, Wushishi Local Government Area of the state.
The correspondent of The Reporters gathered from the locals that the arrived the community early Monday morning and shot sporadically, apparently to scare away possible intruders, before going after their victims in their various homes.
One of the locals, who also sustained injuries trying to escape into the nearby bush but wants his identity veiled, told journalists on phone how the invaders also physically manhandled some of their kinsmen during the operation which lasted for hours unchallenged.
He said:“Some gunmen attacked Kutunku village early this morning and after the attacks, we discovered that 19 persons; eleven males and eight females, were missing and as at this afternoon, we are yet to hear from their abductors”.
“Among the 19 people abducted by the gunmen include two females who are to be given out in marriage this weekend and the bandits have so far not communicated to the families of the abducted persons.”
Efforts to get the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Niger state command, Wasiu Abiodun, to confirm the attacks and kidnap proved abortive.
The PPRO’s number was indicating ‘unreacheable’ when our correspondent called, as at the time of this report.
