John Adams in Minna
With barely three weeks after the Niger state government entered into peace negotiations with armed bandits terrorizing some communities across three local government areas of the state, a group of bandits has sacked of over 1580 villagers from their ancestral homes.
The attack occurred late on Wednesday night when the people had retired to their homes after the day’s work.
The government had under the peace deal three weeks ago released 13 bandits while 35 others voluntary laid down their arms with promised by government to resettle the repentant ones.
According to a source close to the affected villages, the bandits invaded the Jaramaya village near Allawa in the Shiroro local government in motorcycles and ordered the villagers to vacate their homes. Though no life was lost in this latest invasion, the villagers reportedly fled to Allawa, the headquarters of the district for their safety.
“Other communities in the district like Batorun jatau, Bataron Waziri were also attacked and sacked,” a source told our correspondent on phone in Minna on Thursday.
The missions of the bandits, according to our source, were just to reinforce themselves with food items and other valuables as they were said to have disposed the villagers of valuable items including harvested crops and provisions.
The District Head of Allawa Alhaji Ibrahim Salihu confirmed the incident in a telephone interview saying that those displaced are now in Allawa town.
Alhaji Ibrahim Salihu pleaded with the state government and security agencies to come to the aid of his people by sending armed security men to the area.
The police however said it was yet to be informed of the incident.
However, the Chief Secretary to the governor Mary Noel Berge confirmed the attack, saying that already security personnel have been deployed to the affected communities, including area patrol by helicopter.
