John Adams, Minna

Armed bandits have again raided two local government areas of Niger State, killing no fewer than six people.

The incident which took place at 10 pm on Tuesday lasted till about 12 noon on Wednesday.

In Shiroro local government, the bandits killed five people and injured five others in Manta and Jiko communities, while in Madaka community in Rafi local government, they killed one person, leaving many others injured.

The attack on Manta and Jiko was reportedly carried out by 50 heavily armed men who invaded the two communities on motorcycles.

According to a source close to Manta community, the bandits on arrival surrounded the town before unleashing terror on the people.

Over 600 hundred people, mostly women and children have been displaced from Manta and Jiko communities and are currently taking refuge at primary school compounds in Minna, the state capital.

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Our correspondent who visited the temporary camp saw the chairmen of Shiroro and Bosso local government areas, and the Director-General state Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Alhaji Ibrahim Inga trying frantically to manage the situation. Both the chairmen and the Director-General NSEMA were not ready to comment on the incident when our correspondent met them at temporary camp.

However, it was gathered that some local vigilantes, tried to dislodge the rampaging bandits in Manta but abandoned the chase when they observed a helicopter hovering in the air in the area.

“We beat a retreat when we saw the helicopter because we were afraid that they may mistake us for the bandits and bomb us,” one of the vigilantes told our correspondent on phone.

It was learnt that the attacks on the two local government areas was simultaneously carried out, beating the security agents flat.

The attack in Madaka community was the second of such attacks within four days in Rafi local government. The first being on Easter Sunday when the bandits attack Maikujeri, leaving three dead, a young girl raped and a pastor injured.

Thirteen people were also kidnapped in that attack.