Bandits kill 55 farmers, kidnap dozens in Nigeria's Niger State

Abuja,   
 
Bandits have renewed their attacks on Nigeria's north-central Niger State, killing more than 55 people and abducting dozens of women and children late on Friday and early on Saturday.
 
In the latest attack, the bandits on 120 motorcycles invaded Kusherki and Gidigori villages in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, forcing residents to flee their homes.
 
Mr Wasiu Abiodun, the Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Police Command, said on Saturday that security operatives comprising soldiers and policemen had been deployed to the area to contain the situation.

Read:  Boko Haram fighters raid prison, free 600 inmates
 
"We have reviewed the tactical deployment in the area and more men of the Police Mobile Force have been deployed in collaboration with the military to cover Yakila, Tegina, Kagara, Pandogari, Kusherki and its environs to prevent a recurrence.
 
"Joint tactical teams are working assiduously to ensure that abducted victims are rescued unharmed," Abiodun said.

Heavy casualties

Bandits who took control of four local governments in the vast Niger State in 2022 and early 2023 were recently dislodged by the military, but their resurgence has continued, with heavy casualties.
 
The activities of the bandits have caused a humanitarian crisis that has worsened as hundreds of internally displaced persons (IDPs), including women and children, flee their various villages.
 
Mr Abdullahi Usman, one of the villagers, said hundreds of bandits took over many villages from about 2pm on Friday and operated unchallenged until Saturday morning.
 
"It is true that the bandits have resumed attacks with full force. It has not been easy for us in the last two weeks, but the situation has worsened.
 
"As I speak to you, bandits have taken over most of the local government. They were in Kusherki local government area since about 2pm on Friday; they spent the night in Garin-Zara local government area and stole hundreds of cattle, goats and rams and killed many people," Usman said.
 
Another resident, Mohammed Yakubu, said: The bandits first came to Kusherki community on Wednesday and killed 13 people.  They came back on Friday afternoon and operated in all the villages around the axis till Saturday morning. People had fled. At the moment, we don't even know where many of our people are because everyone has run into the bush.
 
Mr Abdulmalik Usman, another fleeing farmer, said: "They raided several villages including Gidigori, Gando, Kusherki and many others. Our cattle, goats and rams were all stolen.

After raiding our villages, they went to Madaka, Hanna-Wanka, Kukoki through Tegina axis this morning (Saturday). The whole of Rafi LGA is not safe now. More than 56 farmers were killed.
 
The victims alleged that the soldiers camped in Kagara and Pandogari did not respond to the attacks, saying they were only patrolling Kagara town.
 
Mr Sanusi Umar, another displaced person who spoke on the telephone, appealed to the federal and state governments to take quick and decisive steps to address the security challenges, saying: "We don't know what President Tinubu is waiting for to take action against these people. These people have already done us in. We are hungry and helpless".
 
 "The current security situation in the area calls for immediate and urgent action against the insurgents. ''
 
In the past three weeks, bandits have killed scores of farmers and abducted more than 100 others, including women and children, from 14 communities in Mashegu and Rafi local government areas for failing to pay taxes imposed on them.
 
More than half of the victims were abducted while harvesting maize, beans, guinea corn and soya beans on their farms when the bandits struck.  

Read: Gunmen kill 63 security personnel in north west Nigeria
 
A traditional ruler, two vigilantes and one other person were killed during an invasion in Mashegu Local Government.  
 
The communities attacked in Mashegu included Sabon-Rijiya, Tsohon-Rami, Bakwai-Bakwai, Mulo, Kawo-Mulo, Nasarawa-Mulo, Mai-Azara, Foje, Mutun-Daya, Beji, Gidan-Malam, Bokuta, Chetaku and Gbazhi, forcing residents to flee to Ibbi town and other safer places in the local government.  
 
In Rafi and part of Shiroro local government, 61 farmers were reportedly abducted in Gidigori, Pandogari and Durumi communities.
 
Residents said the bandits also demanded a tax of $6,000 (N3 million) from each of the communities as a condition to stop kidnapping and allow them to harvest their crops, but only one of the communities was able to pay. 

The bandits are also said to be stealing food.  
 
The Executive Chairman of the local government, Mr Umar Igede, had also raised the alarm that seven of the communities in the local government had been abandoned as a result of incessant attacks by the bandits.
 
According to the council chairman, most of the villagers in the affected communities have left their homes for the IDPs camp in Kontagora and other places for their safety.