Armed bandits raid Niger communities, kill 11, kidnap 4 women, rustle over 300 cattle

NIGERIA-POLITICS-DEFENCE-MILITARY

A 50 calibre machine gun mounted to the back of a military Toyota Land Cruiser in Mbalala, Borno State northeast Nigeria on March 25, 2016. On April 14, 2014, Boko Haram militants kidnapped 276 schoolgirls from their dormitories at the Government Girls Secondary School Chibok, drawing global attention to the Islamist insurgency in northeast Nigeria. / AFP PHOTO / STEFAN HEUNIS

John Adams, Minna

Armed bandits numbering about 50 in the early hours of Saturday overran no fewer than five communities in Shiroro local government area of Niger state, killing 11 people and rustled over 300 cattle.

The Bandits who invaded the communities at about 6:00 am ransacked the entire communities as they move from one house to another without any resistance for about hours.

One of the victims of the attacks identified as Saidu had his two wives raped by four of the bandits in his presence before shooting him at a closed range.

Communities that were affected in the latest attack are Kudodo, Galapai, Dnakpala Makera, and Dnalgwa.

This is happening as the Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District Alhaji Sani Musa has raised the alarm that his constituency is under siege.

He confirmed the latest attack to our correspondent, saying that the situation is getting out of hand.

The senator who only three days ago paid a visit to the Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) camp in Kuta where over 100 people ate being camped described the recent onslaught by the bandits as nothing but “a declaration of war against the people”.

According to the lawmaker, “innocent families are been displaced, killed, raped, kidnapped and community members straddled in a state of despair.

“As the attacks continued more villagers in my constituency are awaiting their fate as no sign of succour comes their way.  It is confirmed that the bandits are attacking all through the night to this afternoon and most communities are in grave danger”, he said.

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