No fewer than 65 persons, mostly local vigilante members, were reportedly killed between Sunday and Tuesday by bandits in border communities in Niger and Kebbi states.
Report has it that the killings took place in Tungan Magajiya, Rijau Local Government Area, Paikpa village in Munya Local Government Area of Niger State and Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
A source was quoted as saying that the 60 local vigilantes were killed in an ambush at Sakaba, a border village between Niger and Kebbi states, Sunday night, at about 9pm.
A cattle rearer, Shanu, and three others in Unguwar Isah, Sakaba LGA and an undisclosed number of cattle belonging to the people of the village were allegedly taken away by bandits.
According to a man called Sulaiman, the leader of the local vigilante known as Yansa kai Kottor was killed by bandits while scores of villagers were taken hostage.
Report has it that the bandits, on Tuesday, launched a dreaded attack killing, at least, 68 local vigilantes and other civilians in Yombe area; a few kilometres away from Dirin Daji town.
Another source said that the vigilantes from Sakaba in Kebbi State and their counterparts from Tungan Magajia and Rijau in Niger State were on a joint patrol along the area due to the incessant gunmen attacks on the border communities when they were killed.
“Twelve of the victims were from Rijau while the remaining 48 are from Sakaba and Tungan Magajiya,” the source was quoted as saying.
According to a source close to Rijau, the vigilantes were on the trail of the gunmen said to be over 100 after receiving information about their movement. Unknown to them (vigilantes), an informant had alerted the gunmen that they were being trailed and an ambush was laid on them.
In another development, a middle-aged man was arrested by the people of Rijau with 20 numbers of 25 litres jerry can of petrol heading towards Warari, a village which had been deserted by the people due to gunmen activities.
The 20 Jerry cans of fuel were being conveyed in a Toyota Corolla car when he was accosted by the villagers who demanded to know the destination of the commodity.
He was reportedly beaten and later handed over to the soldiers on patrol in the area.
Also, in Paikpa village in Munya Local Government Area, gunmen were said to have killed no fewer than five villagers while several others were injured in a midnight raid.
An unspecified number of cattle were reportedly stolen by the rampaging gunmen, whom eyewitnesses said stormed the community at about 11pm, on motorcycles with each of them carrying AK47 rifles and other dangerous weapons.
The villagers allegedly kidnapped many people and rustled cattle away to an unknown destination.
A source close to Chibani village said, “The gunmen operated for several hours searching all the houses in the village without any response to distress calls to the security men stationed at Sarkinpawa before escaping into the Chikun forest in Kaduna State.
Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, who confirmed the story, said that he had yet to get the exact number of casualties.
“There was a raid of some communities in the state a few days ago as gunmen entered Paikpa late on Monday during which they killed some people and also abducted some people and rustled a lot of cattle.
“Men of the Civilian JTF and local vigilante engaged the bandits in battle which lasted hours making the gunmen escape into the bush,” the SSG remarked.
The attack was also confirmed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Kebbi State Command, Nafiu Abubakar, who said that “we are aware of the attack but yet to ascertain the number of casualties as we are still compiling report on the attack.”
