From John Adams, Minna

Scores of armed bandits on Monday evening met their Waterloo in the hands of local vigilantes at Kuna village, Kafin Koro District of Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State when they attempted to invade the village.

The battle between the vigilantes and the bandits in their large number to place about 7:00 pm in the evening when the bandits were trying to cross river Beni with their abducted victims unknowing to them that the local vigilantes had laid siege across the river.

The bandits, it was gathered had invaded nearby villages at Nugwazi and Ruga, and abducted about eight Fulani men after killing one and injured another before luck ran out of them.

Only two of the bandits were said to have escaped the onslaught by the vigilantes whom our source said resisted bullets fired at them by the bandits.

A Fulani man was killed while another man whose bullet could penetrate was macheted and he is currently receiving treatment at the Kafin Koro General hospital.

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According to the chairman of the local government, Hon Yohana Yakubu, who confirmed this breakthrough, the local vigilantes were able to rescue unhurt, the eight people that were earlier abducted by the bandits.

The chairman said a number of weapons and motorcycles were recovered from the bandits by the vigilantes and have been handed over to the Divisional Police Office in the area.

Hon Yakubu disclosed that as a result of the latest onslaught by the bandits on some villages in his Council, the number of Internally Displaced People (IDP) had increased from 330 to about 500 in the last few days, adding that “if not for the efforts our local vigilantes, the whole villages in Kafin-koro district would have been taking over by the bandits.

“Villages like Kudami, Kuna, Nugwazi, Abolo, Dakolon Daji and Part of Ishau have been deserted by the people, and currently taking refuge at the central primary school at Kafin Koro.”

He equally said the vigilantes have been adequately mobilized to affected villages even though the people have relocated to Kafin Koro, adding the vigilantes are fully prepared in their own way to face the bandits.