From John Adams, Minna
Gunmen numbering well over 100 on Saturday invaded some communities in Lavun, Wushishi and Mashegun local government areas of Niger state, killing 17 people across the three LGAs and injured several others.
The attack which last all through to Sunday morning, saw the gunmen overran about eight communities, leaving over 5,000 Displaced.
Communities that were ransacked by the gunmen includes Egbako, Ndaruka, Ebbo, Ndagbegi, Tshogi, Gogata and Ndakogitu, all in Lavun local government.
This is the first time gunmen could lunch a major offensive on the area, regards as a-no-go area due to the people’s strong hold on the power of their tradition.
According to source close one of the communities, the gunmen were said to have Killed one person each at Ebbo, Tsonfadagabi, Tsogi and Kanko.
While at Gbacitagi village the gunmen invaded a wedding ceremony, Kidnapped the bride and one other girl, destroyed vehicles and other properties.
According to source close one of the communities, the gunmen were said to have Killed one person each at Ebbo, Tsonfadagabi, Tsogi and Kanko.
While at Gbacitagi village the gunmen invaded a wedding ceremony, Kidnapped the bride and one other girl, destroyed vehicles and other properties.
All the monies realized at the wedding ceremony, including other valuables were also snatched by the rampaging gunmen.
They were also said to have rustle a number of cattle belonging to the villagers.
While on their way out of the communities and heading towards Akare community in Wushishi local government area of the state, with their rustle cattle, the gunmen got stocked at Akere when they discovered that the only bridge linking the community with Akare had collapsed.
According to another source close to Akere community, the gunmen are currently stranded at the point of crossing with the cattle as the animals refused to enter river.
They eventually abandoned the cattle at the Akere river bank when all efforts to cross the animals were not successful, and decided to make retreat back to Sheshi community to find a possible exit rout of the community.
They were however confronted by the locals but the resultant exchange of fire between the gunmen and the ill equipped local vigilantes led to the killings of six people (two vigilantes and four locals).
The gunmen, according to the locals, later shared themselves into three groups with one group at Dabban community, another group at Shegba, while the third group was said to heading towards Ndaruka community.
The attack have however forced the people in the affected communities to flee their homes, while those who had earlier gone to the nearby market at Batati could not return home yesterday (Saturday) for fear of being attacked by the gunmen.
The Commissioner for local government and internal security, Emmanuel Umar, when contacted, confirmed the latest attacks but said he was yet to get the details of the incident.
While on their way out of the communities and heading towards Akare community in Wushishi local government area of the state, with their rustle cattle, the gunmen got stocked at Akere when they discovered that the only bridge linking the community with Akare had collapsed.
According to another source close to Akere community, the gunmen are currently stranded at the point of crossing with the cattle as the animals refused to enter river.
They eventually abandoned the cattle at the Akere river bank when all efforts to cross the animals were not successful, and decided to make retreat back to Sheshi community to find a possible exit rout of the community.
They were however confronted by the locals but the resultant exchange of fire between the gunmen and the ill equipped local vigilantes led to the killings of six people (two vigilantes and four locals).
The gunmen, according to the locals, later shared themselves into three groups with one group at Dabban community, another group at Shegba, while the third group was said to heading towards Ndaruka community.
The attack have however forced the people in the affected communities to flee their homes, while those who had earlier gone to the nearby market at Batati could not return home yesterday (Saturday) for fear of being attacked by the gunmen.
The Commissioner for local government and internal security, Emmanuel Umar, when contacted, confirmed the latest attacks but said he was yet to get the details of the incident.
In Mashegu Local Government, the villages attacked were Sahon-Rami, Igbede, Chekaku, Ubegi, Maishankafi and Pozhi.
No fewer than nine people were said to have lost their lives to the attack which the villagers said went on simultaneously and lasted all through the night.
The father to one of the top political office holders in Mashgun and his son were among the victims and killed at Ubegi community.
Also killed was the Village Head of Poshi, and six others in Sahon-Rami and Maishankafi.
According to our source, the gunmen moved from one village to the other on motorcycles, killing and kidnapping people.
Our source said “These people have been operating since Friday. But only one village was attacked on Friday which was Sahon-Rami. The remaining villages were attacked today (Saturday).” He said.