John Adams, Minna
Armed bandits, numbering about 100 on Wednesday evening stormed Kagara town, the headquarters of Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State and ceased the entire town in what could be described as the mother of all attacks in recent time.
A very reliable source close to the town told our correspondent on telephone that the gunmen stormed the town at about 4:00pm this evening in a commando-like style as they shut sporadically into air to announce their arrival.
The gunmen who invaded the town in about 50 motorcycles and a bus were fully armed with sophisticated weapons as they moved from shop to shop, dispossessing the people of their belongings.
While the shop looting was going on, another group stormed a first generation bank in the town and forced their way into the bank as the bank staff were preparing to close for the day.
A policeman and a bank security personnel were shut dead at the bank premises before moving into the bank to cart away the unspecified cash.
According to our source, the armed were said to have carted away unspecified sums of money from the bank.
 The gunmen whom our source said are all young boys ages between 20 and 25, held the entire town to hostage for close to four hours before the local vigilantes in the town mobilized and engaged them, using dane guns but could withstand their superior fire power.
An armored vehicle belonging to the Nigerian police stationed in the town in the wake of incessant attacks by bandits was shot at and the tire deflated, making it impossible to go after the gunmen.
Our source who simply identified himself as Mallam Ahmadu said the attack started around 4:00 and lasted till about 8:00pm.
Our source said about 25 people were abducted by the gunmen and taken away while four other villagers were killed, adding the figure could be more as the sound of gunshot was till being heard around the town.
No fewer than eight people were injured and are currently lying critically at Kagara General Hospital as at the time of filing this report.
A helicopter was said be hovering around the town as at the time of the attack but later left and could not returned until the bandits left with their abducted victims.
All attempt to confirm the development from the state police command was not successful as the commnad public relation officer, Wasiu Abiobun was not responding to many calls put across to him by our correspondent.