Niger Villages Deserted Over Renewed Bandits’ Attacks

Many residents of Rafi, Shiroro and Munya local government areas of Niger State have abandoned their villages due to renewed bandits’ attacks attributed to the arrival of a bandits’ kingpin, Dogo Gide.

LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that Dogo Gide who was earlier chased out of Niger State as a result of security operations about a year ago has returned to the rural areas of the three local government areas following the onslaught on bandits in North western states of Zamfara and Kaduna.

The bandits’ kingpin who was said to have been in Tsafe, Zamfara State and operated mostly in rural areas terrorising villagers, have come with a renewed mode of attack sparing only those who could pay for their freedom.

A source who preferred anonymity in Rafi told LEADERSHIP Weekend that bandit attacks have become frequent in the area saying “deadly attacks by the Dogo Gide group in the past two weeks have been a daily affair. He has launched several attacks on communities in Shiroro and Rafi local government areas killing and abducting scores.”

Consequently, some of the villagers have abandoned their villages now staying in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.

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It was learnt that Allawa, Kurebe, Kabama, Bassa, Musuku, Sabon Gida, Kawure, Palali, Mai Kanwa, Gurmana, Kabula, Gini, Kuchi, Dangunu, Mangoro, Ukale, Kachiwe, and Zazzaga, which were once bustling farming communities, have been abandoned on hearing the news of Dogo’s arrival.

Similarly, residents of Pandogari in Rafi local government area have been in fear when reports indicated that the terror group had invaded villages around the area, abducting about 40 people and killing five in an attack Thursday.

“This daring attack occurred after Dogo Gide had taken several others from villages around Erena. Even before then, some villagers out of fear had abandoned their villages,” the source said.

The leader of Concerned Shiroro Youths, Yusuf Koki, called for appropriate action to rescue the suffering villagers from the deadly attacks.

At plenary last Wednesday, the member representing Rafi state constituency decried the renewed attacks confirming that scores have been killed and over 200 abducted in his constituency.

The Niger State Commissioner for Homeland Security could not be reached as at the time of filing this report but a government official who preferred anonymity confirmed that the government has received a report on the attacks and was taking steps to mitigate the situation.