From John Adams, Minna
There is no moment of respite for residents of Niger State as gunmen defied the ongoing Ramadan fast and raided no fewer than five communities in Munya Local Government Area of the state, leaving a village head and two others dead.
The attacks, according to a source close to one of the communities, occurred on Thursday about 11:30pm when the gunmen, numbering over 50 with sophisticated weapons invaded the communities.
The affected communities are Dandaudu, Fukan, Gwari, Dazza, Zagzaga and parts of Maraban Zagzaga.
According to Sunday Sun source, an unspecified number of cattle were stolen as they operated without any resistance.
A village head, who was said to be outside for fresh air, was shot at a close range and died instantly, while two others, among them a Fulani man who tried to resist them, was also killed.
“They came purposely to steal cows from the communities. This is the third time in less than one month that these gunmen will come here. About three weeks ago, they came but the soldiers engaged them so they couldn’t succeed.
“This time round, they decided to come in the night. They killed the village head who was outside resting after breaking the Ramadan fast, and one Fulani man who tried to prevent them from taking his cattle was also killed.
“In fact, they went away with a number of people; we don’t know the actual number of people kidnapped now because many others, including women and children escaped to the bush last night; others ran to a nearby villages,” the source said.
In another development, three people were also killed by gunmen, leaving many injured and several others abducted in Rumache Madalla in Bassa/Kukoki Ward in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.
The gunmen, according to a statement by the Chairman Shiroro Concern Youths, Comrade Abubakar Kukoki, invaded the community in a broad daylight and in their large numbers, heavily armed with sophisticated weapons and unleashed mayhem on unsuspecting victims.
