Bandits burn 10 persons alive, kidnap seven, slaughter scores in Niger communities

By ROMOKE AHMAD

Ten people have been reportedly burnt alive, several others killed while seven women were said to have been kidnapped by bandits during an attack in the Kachiwe community in Sarkin Pawa Ward of Munya Local Government Area of Niger state during the week.

The Secretary of Munya the Local Government Area, James Jagaba narrated the ordeal which he described as ‘an ugly incident’.

He said, “The bandits set all the houses ablaze, burnt ten people alive, abducted ten women and slaughtered the others. On their way after carrying out their heinous act, they met two people whose vehicle broke down, they stopped and killed those two people then burnt down their vehicle. In the process, three of the abducted women escaped and the bandits went with the other seven women.

“The whole community was wiped out by the bandits, nobody survived. We got to know about how they carried out the activities from the women who escaped and are still in shock.”

The secretary added that the bandits moved to Shapè village under the Sarki Pawa ward and slaughtered nine people while others in the community took to their heels adding that they also killed seven people in the Gogope ward.

It was learnt that the bandits were able to carry out their activities unabated due to the seizure of mobile networks in the affected communities.

“We were told that all efforts to reach the security personnel proved abortive because, for some days, there has not been mobile network service in Munya local government. The people could not reach out to the security agencies neither could they reach out to the council. At the council, we got the message very late and efforts to get the security was not possible”, James said.

He said that the women are currently in a state of shock and have been showing signs of trauma.

“The three people who survived are currently in shock and suffering from trauma. They need to be helped medically and otherwise because all they have has been burnt down by the bandits,” he said. (The PUNCH)