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 11:00pm on Saturday.
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 Daza has relocated from the local government to Minna, the state capital with his family, leaving the people to their faith.
“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”, our source said.
All efforts by our correspondent to reach him to confirm the latest attacks could not yield any result as he was not picking his call after several attempts.
However, the member representing the constituency in the state house of assembly, Mr. Andrew Jagaba confirmed the incident but said the security agents have already being mobilized to the area.
According to him, “in fact the entire community is devastated since yesterday night when the incident happened, the people are now living in fears.
“But as I speak to you now Security agents have being mobilized to the community and are working on how to rescue the victims because the have not gone far with the people”.
This latest incident is coming barely 24 hours after gunmen killed the village head of Madaka in Rafi local government area of the state, Zakari Ya’u six days after he was abducted.
He was killed after the community failed to raise N800,000 ransom demanded by the bandits for his release.
According to testimonies of those abducted along with the village head but later regain their freedom after paying their ransom, the village head died from severe beating by the bandits and was buried in a shallow grave in the bush.