Niger: Residents flee as bandits invade communities on motorcycles

• They are after cattle – community source

• Fighter jet targeting the bandits kills scores of civilians

From John Adams, Minna

There is palpable fear, anxiety, and apprehension as bandits, said to be numbering well over 500, entered some communities in Niger State from neighbouring Zamfara through Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State on Sunday, causing residents to flee and abandon their homes.

About 3,000 residents from Kuchi, Chibani, and Zagzaga communities in Munya Local Government Area of the state have fled their homes and are currently taking refuge in neighbouring Gwada community and Minna, the state capital.

Although the destination and mission of the bandits are not immediately known to the villagers, as there was no attack on the people, the movement of the invaders has sent fear, anxiety, and apprehension through the affected communities, forcing residents to flee their homes.

A reliable source close to one of the communities and who is closely monitoring the movement of the bandits told our correspondent by phone that the bandits had assembled and slept at Kusasu community in Shiroro Local Government Area on Saturday before crossing over to Chibani en route to Zagzaga community.

Our source confirmed that there was actually an airstrike targeting the bandits in Kusasu on Saturday and that this resulted in civilian casualties, even though he could not ascertain the number of civilians killed or whether there were casualties on the side of the bandits.

But a source from Kusasu told our correspondent that seven houses were affected by the airstrike, leaving scores of civilians dead.

“These people slept at Kusasu community yesterday (Saturday) because when they entered from Kaduna State, they all assembled in Kusasu. There was an airstrike targeting them but unfortunately some civilians were affected.

“It was from Kusasu that they move into Munya this morning (Sunday), but we don’t know their direction or their mission because they didn’t attack anybody.

“As I speak with you now (2:00 pm Sunday), they have assembled at the NNPC pipeline at the southern end of Munya Local Government. We don’t know whether they are heading towards Daza or Kafin Koro communities in Paikoro Local Government Area,” he added.

According to our source, the bandits could be targeting a large number of cattle said to be grazing around the Daza and Kafin Koro axis, adding that “there are over 10,000 cattle right now within these communities, so we don’t know whether that is their target”, he hinted.

However, when contacted, the Chairman of Munya Local Government, Hon. Aminu Najume, confirmed the current security situation in the area, saying that the bandits invaded the local government area from neighbouring Chukun Local Government Area in Kaduna State.

According to him, “they came in three batches through Chukun local government which bordered Munya local government. One batch came through Igwu-Suka Chire, another batch through Katerma and the third batch came through Jeso Communities”.

Hon. Najume also confirmed that the bandits were over 500 in number, adding that there had not been any civilian casualty at the moment.

He also said that some people have relocated from their homes for fear of being attacked by the bandits, stressing that “what we are hearing from the communities is that the bandits are rustling cows and other animals in large numbers”.

He disclosed that the state government has been on top of the situation since yesterday, adding that “the security agents are on the trail of the bandits”.