Banditry: Three killed, village head kidnapped for the second time in Niger community

Three persons including the leader of a vigilante group, Mallam Isyaku Alhassan, of Madaka, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State have been allegedly killed by bandits today (Sunday) in the area.

It was learnt that the attacks took place between 11:am-2pm.

The other victims included the son of the leader of the vigilante, Abdulhamid Isyaku and one other person whose name is could not be ascertained at the moment.

The armed bandits, it was also gathered, kidnapped the village head of Madaka community for the second time.

It would be recalled that the village head was abducted when the bandits attacked the area and was in their custody for three months before he was released from their clutches recently.

There have been renewed attacks on Rafi LG by bandits, thus affecting communities such as Rafi-Doko, Yakila, Katako and other neighbouring villages in which many persons were kidnapped others injured along with several food items and properties destroyed.

Confirming the incident, the Chief of Staff to Rafi LG Chairman, Mohammed Mohammed, stated that three persons were killed and the village head kidnapped in the attack unleashed by armed bandits on Madaka village that lasted three hours.

He explained that members of the community have scampered for safety, out of fears for their lives, adding that the corpses of those massacred are yet to be retrieved.

However, efforts to get a reaction from the state police command failed as at the time of filing the report as there was no response to calls put through to the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Wasiu Abiodun.