Deadly armed men believed to be terrorists at the weekend invaded Niger State on killing spree and attacked communities in Agwara and Borgu local government areas of the state, killing no fewer than 42 persons and abducted an unconfirmed number of persons including women and children.
The terrorists, according to sources, have been attacking villages in Agwara in the last one week without any opposition.
Reliable sources from the area said for the last one week, they came angrily and attacked communities at will and because there was no security presence, there was no resistance.
According to the source “they killed 37 people in Kasuwan Daji near Papiri, another 5 in Kaima village and abducted many people including children and some of these children are pupils and students of the same St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary schools, Papiri in Agwara.
“The government and security agencies should come to our aid, we have a serious crisis across the river where the students were abducted.
“They came out of the forest for about a week now, wrecking havoc in the villages. Just yesterday (Saturday) alone they burnt one particular market and abducted so many people, including women and children.”
Confirming the attack in the Catholic mission house, the Director of Communications, Catholic Church of Kontagora Diocese, Rev. Father Stephen Kabirat said the terrorists have killed over forty persons and taken into captivity many.
According to him “our Parish Priest narrowly escaped abduction when the terrorists visited our Mission House three days ago, they destroyed some religious items in the church, carted away two motorbikes and cash worth over two hundred thousand Naira (N200,000).
“They were looking for the Priest but luckily he escaped but they abducted some villagers including children.”
Another villager, while appealing to the relevant authorities said “as I am talking to you now, some of the villages where the abducted school children come from have been sleeping in the bushes since their return because of activities of the terrorists.”
Confirming the attacks, the Niger state Police Command said, at about 9pm on Saturday, the Command received reports that suspected Bandits attacked and killed over 30 persons and abducted an unconfirmed number of persons.
In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun said “at about 4:30pm on Saturday, suspected Bandits from the National Park Forest along Kabe District invaded Kasuwan Daji located at Demo Village via Kabe, killed over 30 persons, burnt the market and looted shops and carted away food items.
He further disclosed that a joint security team has visited the scene and efforts are ongoing to rescue the victims.
