In what looks like a declaration of war against the people, gunmen said to be numbering over 600 on motorcycles have surrounded some communities across three local government areas of Niger state.
The mass movement of the heavily armed men into the Communities have sent fears and apprehension among the people of affected communities as they fled their homes for safety.
The affected communities are:Dangunu and Pai in Munya local government, Pandogari in Rafi and Allawa in Shiroro LGA’s of the state .
A source close to the communities told Daily Sun that in Dangunu and Pai in Munya local government area for instance, the Gunmen said to be numbering well over 600 riding on about 300 motorcycles have laid siege on the communities since Monday night.
According to our source, the Gunmen went away with about 40 villagers from Dangunu and Pai, including women and children on Monday night even as they maintained siege on the communities.
It was gathered that the mission of the gunmen in Dangunu and Pai is to avenge the killing of their leader, Ali Kachala and 38 others a month ago, and to dislodge the Joint Security Taskforce stationed at Mangoro village.
The bandits leader, and 38 others met their Waterloo when they launched a deadly attack on the camp of the Joint Security Taskforce with the aim of dislodging them.
The presence of the Joint Security Taskforce at Mangoro has hindered their operations within communities around Tshohon Kabula, Zagzaga, pole wire, Beni, Adunu Ishau and lately Kaffin Koro.
However, a source from the Pandogari community in Rafi and Allawa community in Shiroro local government areas told our correspondent on phone that gunmen in their numbers have killed two people and abducted 25 people in a night raid.
He stated further that the gunmen had equally surrounded the areas, adding that the villagers had fled their homes for fear of being attacked.
The Gunmen had launched reprisal attacks on the Pandogari community, burning down two trucks loaded with food items and other essentials after soldiers killed scores of them while unspecified numbers were arrested on Friday last week.
The gunmen had, however, vowed to avenge the killing of their colleagues by the soldiers stationed at Pandogari and also dislodge them from their camp.
The development has sent fears to the people who have called on the government to immediately reinforce the security stationed in the area.
Niger State Police Publlic Relations Officer (PPRO)DSP Wasiu Abiodun, could not be reached for his comment on the latest mass movement of gunmen into the communities in the state.
Credit: Daily Sun