John Adams, Minna
Barely four days after armed bandits attacked some communities in Niger State, killing a captain and three others, the bandits have abducted the Chief Iman of Beni Central Mosque, Mallam Umar Mohammed in Munya local government area of the state.
The bandits, numbering over 50 and who have been moving from one community to another dispossessing the people of their property, invaded Beni in Munya local government are and Kudami in Paikoro local government area in the early hour of yesterday where they wreaked havoc.
While the bandits met stiff resistance in Kudami from the people, they had a field day in Beni where they looted shops and houses and kidnapped the Chief Iman on his way to a naming ceremony.
Twenty other members of the community were also said to have been kidnapped.
It was also gathered that no fewer than four people have so far been killed in Beni while several others are in critical condition following injuries sustained from gunshots. They are currently receiving treatment at the Kafin Koro General Hospital.
The District Head of Beni, Alhaji Jafaru Umar Sarki, who confirmed the recent attacks to our correspondent in a telephone interview in Minna, said the invasion of the community by the bandits is the second in three days.
“They came three days ago and stole over 200 cows, and this morning (Wednesday) they came again in their numbers. As I speak to you now, they are busy looting shops and moving from house to house and collecting people’s property.
“So far, four people have been killed, they shot another boy in the head and we don’t know if he will survive. They are so many of them, I can’t count them and they are all with guns.