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From John Adams, Minna
Members of the local vigilantes from Madaka community in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State on Monday laid ambush for bandits and killed no fewer than 16 persons while several others escaped with bullets injuries.
Three members of the local vigilantes,however, lost their lives during the gun battle which a source close to the community described as very fierce and lasted for well over three hours.
About 20 kidnapped victims, mostly travelers who were abducted by the Bandits, and were being moved to their camps around Birin Gwari in Kaduna state, however,escaped to freedom when the vigilantes engaged them in the battle.
According to a reliable source from Madaka community, the vigilantes got wind of the movement of the bandits and decided to lay ambush for them which led to the heavy casualties on the side of the bandits.
“We got information about their movement and we decided to lay ambush for them. They were moving with some victims they had abducted from the road on that day.
“Some were in the front leading the victims,while majority of them were following from behind, so we concentrated on those at the back but those in the front killed three of our men. We asked the kidnapped victims to lie down so that stray bullets would not hit them. It was after the battle that we handed them over to security agents”.
The victims were made up of business people who were on their way to the Southern parts of the country when they were abducted by the bandits between Tegina and Zungeru in the same Rafi LGA.
In another development, no fewer than 35 people, all members of Pandogari community in the same Rafi LGA have been abducted by another group of bandits at Katakwo village along Tegina-Zungeru road.
They were said to be traveling in four commercial vehicles to Minna, the state capital when they were waylaid and abducted.
A commercial driver who refused to be taken away by the Gunmen was slaughtered on the road and his body abandoned.
“The commercial driver told them that even if they went with him, there was nobody to pay ransom for his release and they decided to slaughter him on the road “.
The escalation of the bandits activities is coming after the state Governor, Rt Hon. Umaru Mohammed Bago, was said to have empowered the local Vigilantes across the volatile areas of the state with a view to curtailing the activities of bandits
Meanwhile, four bandits on Sunday voluntarily turned in their weapons and surrendered, saying that they were tired of criminal acts, but pleaded with the government to rehabilitate them as they had nothing to fall back to after leaving crime.
A source within the community told our Correspondent that the repented bandits and their families have been handed over to the military that are stationed at Pandogari community and they have been moved to Minna.
According to our source, more bandits were ready to repent and lay down their arms if their safety could be guaranteed.
According to Niger State police public relation officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the police have rescued 19 kidnapped victims unhurt.
