From John Adams, Minna

Gunmen numbering about 50 on Saturday night invaded Kuchi Community in Munya Local Government Area of Niger State and kidnapped 17 people in an operation that lasted for two hours.

Among those kidnapped were the father and mother of the former chairman of the local government, Mallam Yahuza Mohammed, a medical doctor, whose name was not immediately known as the time of filing this report and two nursing mothers with their two-weeks- old babies.

A businessman popularly known as Alhaji Albakala, who had earlier relocated from the community and now resident in Minna, the state capital, had four of his family members abducted in an operation that took place at about 11pm on Saturday.

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A source close to the community told our correspondent on phone that the bandits over powered the local vigilantes due to their number even though the bullets of the bandits could not penetrate them. Our source said there were no security agents in the entire Kuchi community even when the people disclosed that the attack by the armed bandits is on weekly bases.

It was gathered that the chairman of the local government, Mallam Garba Mohammed Dazak, has relocated from the local government to Minna, the state capital with his family, leaving the people to their faith.

A source said: “He does not even respond to any distress call from the people since these attacks have being on for over two months now. We tried to reach him over this latest attack but he is not picking his calls.”