Bandits Make Fresh N100m Demand In Niger

Bandits who abducted some villagers from Adunu, Kwagana, Nanati and Beni in Paikoro and Munya local government areas of Niger State are demanding N100 million. They threatened to kill the abductees If the ransom is not paid.

Three female victims of the abductees who were recently freed, say the abductors promised to kill all the remaining captives if the ransom for their release was not paid to them. The names of the female escapees were not mentioned for security reasons.

The village head of Adunu, Malam Kabiru Adunu, said 62 members of his community were among the victims. Some people were able to escape the terrorists popularly known as bandits.

Adunu confirmed that four days before the governorship election, terrorists numbering over 300 and riding on motorbikes, raided his village and the neighbouring villages in Munya and Paikoro local government areas of the state.

Head of the vigilante group in Kafin Koro, Ya’u Tsalha said the air component of the Nigerian military operation in the state had raided several enclaves of the terrorists in Paikoro and Munya local governments.

He said the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) raids led to the escape of some abductees and the killing of about 50 bandits.

The female escapees said the fate of the remaining captives in the hands of the terrorists was dangerously uncertain except something urgent was done to secure their freedom.

The state commissioner of internal security, Emmanuel Umar, when contacted refused to respond to calls from our respondent. However, a top official of the government who preferred anonymity said the government was mobilising against the renewed attacks on villages in the state and will soon arrest the situation.