2 feared dead as armed bandits strike in Niger

Two persons have been feared dead and about 2,000 cattle rustled in a renewed bandit attack at Erena community in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger state.

It was gathered that the incident which took place st 7am on Sunday at Erena and its environs however, left many people injured.

The bandits numbering over 100 were said to have been carrying dangerous weapons and shooting sporadically, killing two people and forcing many villagers to scamper, and run into the bushes for safety.

However, some of the villagers are now taken refuge at Gwada, thereby pushing to a record high the number of Internally Displaced Persons from Shiroro Local Government Area in parts of Niger state.

An eyewitness and former Chairman Shiroro Local Government Area, Abdullahi Yerima (rtd) appealed to both the Niger state and federal governments as well as security agencies to come to their aid.

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Yerima lamented that unless urgent steps were taken, hunger and starvation will set in since Shiroro has been the food basket of Niger state which has been under massive and consistent attack by bandits.

Our correspondent also reports that the bandits may be having a field day, since some of the vigilante group members in Niger state have threatened to withdraw their operations until government provides them with modern fighting equipment to confront any security challenge.

Some of the affected villages that came under bandits attack include Unguwar Dauda Gini Sarkin noma Lagbe Gope Rafin sanyi Amuko and Gussako.